Monk

TV Review: USA’s Hit ‘White Collar’ Returns at Creative Turning Point

BrianTT — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:34:17 -0500

CHICAGO – “If you want a happy ending, it depends on where you stop the story.” Such is the theme of the mid-season premiere of “White Collar,” USA’s hit show that has essentially been working on one arc that could be coming to a close since it premiered — the attachment of G-man Peter Burke (Tom DeKay) to con man Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer). What if Caffrey had a chance to split? Would he take it? Or would he choose to walk the side of the tracks he used to rip off? These questions may not be completely answered by the end of this second half of the third season but it feels like we’ll be closer to the next phase of this massive hit.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

The season was cut off with a cliffhanger (as all cable shows seem to be nowadays) as Burke’s wife (Tiffani Thiessen) was kidnapped and the agent realized that Caffrey had been hiding the Nazi treasure all this time. Not only had he been betrayed to a certain extent by someone he trusted but it put his most-loved one in jeopardy. How will Burke & Caffrey get Elizabeth back? How can Mozzie (Willie Garson) help? Will he or will he want to run with the treasure? And is there any possible solution that could keep everyone out of jail given the highly illegal dynamics of international theft? The answers to these questions and the asking of new ones keeps the mid-season premiere quickly-paced and engaging. It’s one of the more well-executed episodes in the history of the show.

White Collar
Photo credit: USA

Without giving anything away, the finale of the season premiere of “White Collar” closes some doors while opening up some fascinating channels for future storytelling. Of course, that’s all after it ties up the cliffhanger at the end of the mid-season premiere of the show. Before we get too far, I’m not going to question one of the most successful networks in the history of television, but is anyone else annoyed by this new pattern? Just do a season and end it. Quit screwing with the scheduling.

White Collar
Photo credit: USA

With that out of the way, I said this at the beginning of season three back in June — “The third season premiere of “White Collar” definitely feels like a show trying to find its identity after spinning several of the same plates in the air for two hit seasons and without clear direction on where to go for chapter three. Even the actors seem a bit lost in this lackluster premiere for a program that I said was getting bumpier last winter and is now in danger of going completely off the rails.”

So where are we at? Did we go off the rails? The good news is that the mid-season premiere of “White Collar” feels notably more confident, as if the writers and producers figured out where to take the program in its next phase, told the actors, and they were revitalized by the new focus. It’s well-paced, well-written, and more fun than it was at the start of the season. I’m still not sold on this being as good as its fans think it is or that it could be (never have been), but this is an engaging hour of television and I’m encouraged about what could happen next.

The talent is surely there. Bomer and DeKay have long been the greatest strength of the show — their charisma, chemistry, and talent. And the emotional involvement of the arc of the mid-season premiere allows them to play to their strengths. Thiessen and Garson off solid emotional support in the premiere, but I still feel like they’re under-utilized in general on the program.

“White Collar” often works best when it’s at its most elaborate and there’s a LOT going on in the mid-season premiere of USA’s beloved program. Bomer and DeKay seem revitalized by what’s to come. And, for the first time since the show began, I can see why.

‘White Collar,’ which airs on USA, stars Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Willie Garson. The show returns with its mid-third-season premiere on January 17th, 2012 at 8PM CST

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: USA’s Hit ‘White Collar’ Returns With Lackluster Premiere

BrianTT — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:34:36 -0400

CHICAGO – They can’t all be winners. The third season premiere of “White Collar” definitely feels like a show trying to find its identity after spinning several of the same plates in the air for two hit seasons and with no clear direction on where to go for chapter three. Even the actors seem a bit lost in this lackluster premiere for a program that I said was getting bumpier last winter and is now in danger of going completely off the rails.

Television Rating: 2.5/5.0

“White Collar” rode on its charming cast and clever premise for two seasons, distilling many of the elements that turned other USA programs into hits. It had the buddy comedy element (like “Psych”), the mystery-of-the-week element (like “Monk”), spy action (like “Burn Notice”), and an appealing cast. All of the ingredients were there, but midway through season two, it started to look like they may not be mixed into an appealing recipe of their own. That bad taste continues with the premiere of season three.

White Collar
Photo credit: USA

First, a little catch-up for the newbies. The oil-and-water duo at the core of “White Collar” are a con man and a G-man. The former is Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), an old-fashioned Danny Ocean type who always has the right con for the right situation. He is handsome, suave, and persuasive, and he’s made millions in the world of white collar crime. At least, he did so until he got nabbed by the government and now helps them catch the men trying to pull the same scams that he used to pull off with ease.

White Collar
Photo credit: USA

The dilemma at the core of the season premiere is that Neal has been up to his old ways. At the end of season two, a ton of Nazi-era art was found and Neal and Mozzie (Willie Garson) made off with it while blowing up some fakes in their place. Agent Peter Burke (Tom DeKay), the man tasked with keeping tabs on Mr. Caffrey, suspects his source and most of the premiere revolves around Neal trying to hide his theft until he can get it out of the country and Peter (with his wife, played by Tiffani Thiessen) trying to prove he did it.

The “good vs. bad” aspect of Neal’s character has always been one of the most interesting aspects of the show. Is he a con man just doing his time or has he honestly turned over a leaf and become a good guy? I think it’s a question that the writers of “White Collar” need to stop asking us and answer for themselves. Should we root for Neal to get away with his crime? Should we want Peter to catch him? The inability to come down with a yes on either of those questions leaves the season premiere up in the air.

Even more damagingly, there’s just not much going on in the season premiere of “White Collar.” The best episodes of this show feature eleborate cons with enough twists and turns to make the relatively lackluster characters and plot holes easier to ignore. It’s easier to focus on unbelievable dialogue when the plot is as simple as it is in this premiere. When we’re scrambling to catch up with what Peter and Neal are up to then it’s easier to forgive. The season premiere is too often boring.

White Collar
Photo credit: Fox

And I worry that it will become a pattern. Even the talented DeKay and Bomer look less comfortable with their characters. It’s as if no one is quite sure where this show is going. If they don’t figure it out soon, it could be too late.

See how “White Collar” struggled last season with the Fox Home Video release of “White Collar: The Complete Second Season,” which hits stores on the same day that the show returns, June 7th, 2011. The 16 episodes have been segmented over four standard-only DVDs (why a show so reliant on looks isn’t released on Blu-ray is beyond me but this is a new pattern for Fox) and each episode is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track.

Special features on season two of the USA hit include “So Here’s the Deal: Anatomy of an Episode,” “Slick Willie,” “White Collar Roasts Burn Notice,” “Burn Notice Roasts White Collar,” deleted scenes, a gag reel, and audio commentary on select episodes.

‘White Collar,’ which airs on USA, stars Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Willie Garson. The show returns with its third-season premiere on June 7th, 2011 at 8PM CST. The second season DVD is released on the same day, June 7th, 2011.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Mid-Season Premiere of USA’s Clever Hit ‘White Collar’

BrianTT — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:55:15 -0500

CHICAGO – The USA network, like TNT, has adopted an unusual launch pattern for some of their shows, dividing their seasons in two. So, while “Royal Pains” and “Burn Notice” had their second season premieres last summer, they now return for the second half of their sophomore chapters. It starts tonight with the return of the entertaining “White Collar,” a typically-clever ride that starts a bit bumpier in the winter than it was in the summer months but still delivers the escapism we could all use as the temperatures drop.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

In many ways, “White Collar” is kind of the ultimate USA show. It constantly reminds the viewer of elements they’ve liked in other programs on the network. It has the buddy elements of “Psych,” the mystery-of-the-week refined by “Monk,” an international conspiracy not unlike “Burn Notice,” and beautiful people in gorgeous settings to rival “Royal Pains.” Audiences have caught on and turned the show into a reliable hit.

Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey
Photo credit: USA

If you need some catch up, the buddy comedy duo at the core of “White Collar” are a con man and a G-man who aren’t as dissimilar as they may appear on the outside. The “bad guy gone good” is Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer of “Chuck”), one of the few people on television who remind me of old-fashioned movie stars. He’s handsome, suave, and rarely cracks under pressure. He can basically convince anyone to help him with a blink of his eyes (and his chemistry with a female co-star in the premiere is one of the highlights) but he’s got a few other tricks up his sleeve as well. He has made millions in the world of white collar crime — mostly elaborate con games — and has now become a source for the government.

Tim DeKay as Peter Burke, Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey
Photo credit: USA

Neal works with the “good guy who likes to be bad every once in awhile,” Agent Peter Burke (Tom DeKay of “Carnivale”). Peter started more anxious and nervous, but the writers have opened up the character this season through his undeniable friendship with Neal. In fact, the mid-season premiere features Burke running a con of his own.

The concept of the first new episode of 2011 is undeniably clever. Of course, it picks up right where the mid-season finale ended with Mozzie (Willie Garson) being rushed to the hospital after being shot. Naturally, vengeance for the shooting of the beloved character takes center stage but it gets an interesting twist when the killer frames Burke and causes him to lose all of his government power during the investigation. Without typical routes to justice, Burke turns to Caffrey and the two form “Burke’s Seven,” which is also the name of the episode. Turning the G-man into the Danny Ocean of an elaborate con is pretty smart and the episode has some spectacular twists and turns.

Sadly, the clever concept doesn’t quite live up to its potential on paper. The mid-season premiere features more cliched dialogue than usual and some intense suspension of disbelief to believe a con that doesn’t seem like it would really work. A show like “White Collar” works almost like a con itself in that appearance can be everything. We’re willing to ignore plots that don’t really make sense if we like the witty repartee and the fashionable look of a program. When the dialogue rings false, the cracks can show. That happens a few times in “White Collar.”

Although there’s no real reason for concern. Bomer and DeKay are fantastic, getting better with every year, and every episodic program like “White Collar” has a few scripts that just don’t click as well as the others. Such is the case with the mid-season premiere of “White Collar.” USA has built a reputation around characters and the talented leads that play them like James Roday, Tony Shalhoub, Mark Feurstein, etc. Neal Bomer and Tom DeKay are great. It’s good to have them back in the DVR.

‘White Collar,’ which airs on USA, stars Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Willie Garson. The show returns for the rest of its second season on January 18th, 2011 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: Excellent Box Set For ‘Monk: The Complete Series’

BrianTT — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:54:53 -0400

CHICAGO – Winner of several Emmy Awards, including three for star Tony Shalhoub for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, “Monk” was easily one of the most successful and influential programs of the ’00s. It may seem like too light and inconsequential a show to be deemed so important but the show about the OCD detective has completely changed the landscape of basic cable television, proving that networks like USA could play with the big boys.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Monk” debuted in July of 2002 long before programs like it made much of a splash in TV ratings or even with critics. Everything changed over the next seven years and the final episode of “Monk” in December of 2009 set the record for the most-watched scripted drama in cable history with 9.4 million viewers, numbers that would have made the a show a hit on any network.

Monk: The Complete Series was released on DVD on October 5th, 2010
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

Honestly, the “Monk” model that would come to be copied by so many cable and even network competitors was actually an old-fashioned one — build a mystery series around one very interesting character. “Monk” didn’t so much break the mold as much as update the “Columbo” concept for a new generation. And to do so they turned to an incredibly underrated character actor who may have been known to wide audiences from his work on “Wings” but had also stolen scenes in great art films like “Big Night” and “The Man Who Wasn’t There” — Tony Shalhoub. The talented star of “Monk” proved that there was still life in the character-driven detective series even as programs like “Law & Order” had thrived on ensemble over lead structures. If you had a lead as interesting Adrian Monk, audiences would follow him anywhere.

And they did follow him for eight seasons and 125 episodes, all of which are now housed in a gigantic 32-disc collection from Universal simply titled “Monk: The Complete Series.” For a true fan of modern TV, it would make a great gift for this upcoming season.

Now, if said fan already owns all eight seasons, is there reason to upgrade? Not really unless you like the impressive box and the collectible 32-page book, which is pretty useless and silly. No, this is one of those releases in which the eight previously-available seasons are merely housed now in one collection and sold for a price lower than buying every stand-alone set. All the special features have also been imported.

Ultimately, “Monk: The Complete Series” is for the fan who saw every episode in one of its many USA airings but never went out and bought a season DVD set. Now you can have all eight at a relatively-low purchase price (roughly eight seasons for the price of five currently). The history books will be kind to “Monk.” It may not have garnered the pop culture buzz of programs like “24” or “Lost” but it was undeniably one of the most influential and successful programs of its era.

‘Monk: The Complete Series’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Bitty Schram, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford. It was created by Andy Breckman. The show was released on October 5th, 2010. It is not rated and runs 90 hours and 51 minutes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Entertaining ‘White Collar’ Returns For Second Season

BrianTT — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:38:26 -0400

CHICAGO – The USA network continues its plans for world domination with an all-out assault on your summer viewing schedule. With “Royal Pains” and “Burn Notice” continuing to rack up amazing ratings on Thursday nights, the network kick starts the Tuesday offensive with the return of the entertaining “White Collar,” a clever riff on timeless TV archetypes.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

In the first season, “White Collar” felt like a hybrid of already-established USA hits. Add a dash of international conspiracy a la “Burn Notice” to a teaspoon of buddy comedy not unlike “Psych” and cook it in the uber-wealthy world well-defined by “Royal Pains.” The second season starts with a show that now feels like it has developed a distinct, entertaining identity of its own. With confident plotting and underrated lead performances, “White Collar” is one of the quickest hours of television this season. It’s a tasty summer cocktail on Tuesday nights that will almost certainly increase its pop culture cachet in season two.

Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey, Tim DeKay as Peter Burke
Photo credit: Eric Leibowitz/USA

The oil-and-water duo at the core of “White Collar” are a con man and a G-man. The former is Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer of “Chuck”), a handsome, suave, blue-eyed player who can basically talk anyone into anything and has made millions in the world of art fraud and other white collar crimes. The latter is the man who caught him, Agent Peter Burke (Tom DeKay of “Carnivale”). He’s awkward, anxious, and the A-side to Caffrey’s B-side. He clearly wants justice but has also developed a undeniable friendship with Neal. The two are no longer quite as oil and water as they were at the start of the series. They’ve blended their skills into a captivating crime-solving team.

The season premiere focuses on both continuing the arcs set up by the end of the first season and setting up its own case-of-the-week. All USA shows now follow the same structure — character-driven episodes with one case that will be solved before the credits roll while an overall arc continues from episode to episode.

Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey
Photo credit: Eric Ogden/USA

The weekly installment involves a series of high-stakes bank robberies around the country. Neal and Peter think they have the situation under enough control that Manhattan won’t be the next city to suffer a scandalous loss but they’re matching wits with a possibly criminal businessman (Tim Matheson) who could have their number. Meanwhile, Neal is intent on figuring out who blew up the plane at the end of season one whiel Peter tries to decide if his buddy would have run if the opportunity had been there or if they’re a team even without the ankle bracelet.

“White Collar” could have easily been a ripped-from-the-headlines mystery series about the increasingly money-conscious society that the current depression has created but it’s nowhere near that concerned with real-life issues. The pacing, dialogue, and plotting have much more in common with attitude-heavy thrillers like “The Thomas Crown Affair” or “Ocean’s Eleven.” The breezy pace and clever character interaction make “White Collar” one of USA’s best-paced programs. The season premiere is over before you know it and you can’t wait to see episode two.

The best writing and directorial pacing in the world means nothing without a solid cast and DeKay and Bomer get better with every episode. What USA has truly discovered in their successful quest to be the most popular network on basic cable is that a talented pair of leads is half the battle. James Roday, Jeffrey Donovan, Mark Feuerstein — these are all actors that are easy to spend an hour with after a tough day at work. They’re cool guys who don’t look like they’re really trying to be cool. DeKay and Bomer are perfect fits in the USA arsenal.

The entire USA line-up is now comprised of series with interesting mysteries/capers that are fueled by the characters not just supported by them. And it’s worth noting that most of their programs, especially “Royal Pains” and “Burn Notice” improved and gained bigger followings in season two — something that bodes well for the sophomore season of “White Collar.” Forget “plans” for world domination. USA seems to have it already.

‘White Collar,’ which airs on USA, stars Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Willie Garson. The show returns for its second season on July 13th, 2010 at 8PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: USA Connects Again With Entertaining ‘White Collar’

BrianTT — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:39:20 -0400

CHICAGO – The creative roll of the USA Network continues tonight with the debut of another quick, clever, mystery-of-the-week series that should satisfy fans of their hits like “Monk,” “Psych,” “Burn Notice,” and “Royal Pains”. “White Collar” doesn’t break any molds, almost fitting too predictably into the USA dynamic, but it’s an entertaining program for the end of a long week and looks likely to be another slam dunk for one of the most successful cable networks of the ’00s.

Television Rating: 3.5/5.0

“White Collar” practically feels like a hybrid of USA hits from its plot description alone. It features international conspiracies a la “Burn Notice” but does so with a buddy duo like “Psych” and is set in the world of the uber-wealthy like “Royal Pains”. Of course, being derivative means little to viewers of a show like this as long as it’s entertaining and “White Collar” is surprisingly so, held high by one of the best new oil-and-water dynamics of the year.

Willie Garson as Mozzie, Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey, Tim DeKay as Peter Burke, Tiffani Thiessen as Elizabeth Burke
Photo credit: Nigel Perry/USA

The odd couple at the center of “White Collar” are a con man and a G-man. The former is Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer of “Chuck”), a handsome, suave, blue-eyed player who can basically talk anyone into anything and has made millions in the world of art fraud and other white collar crimes. The latter is the man who caught him, Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay of “Carnivale”). He’s awkward, anxious, and the A-side to Caffrey’s B-side. He clearly wants justice but wouldn’t mind a few dating tips while he’s taking Neal back to jail.

Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey, Tim DeKay as Peter Burke
Photo credit: David Giesbrecht/USA

They are paired up when Caffrey inexplicably escapes from prison mere months before his scheduled release. Burke catches up with him (perhaps too easily) and the two forge an unusual arrangement. It turns out that Neal broke out because the love of his life took off, changed her identity, and disappeared. Why did she leave? Did she do so on her own or is something more dangerous going on?

Caffrey wants to do everything he can to find her and works out an arrangement with Burke. He’ll help the feds find the most elusive criminals in the world, as long as he’s on the outside and able to pursue leads about what’s going on with his lost love. The con man gets an ankle bracelet and the G-man gets a partner.

One might expect that a show with this set-up would play off fears of white collar stories like the saga of Bernie Madoff but “White Collar” feels a lot more playful and less concerned with real world issues than that. At its best, it plays more like “The Thomas Crown Affair” than something ripped-from-the-headlines like the “Law & Order” series. And that’s a smart decision. It makes for a breezy, charming show. We don’t need to be reminded of real-life concerns on a Friday night. There are other shows for that kind of drama writing.

Tiffani Thiessen as Elizabeth Burke, Tim DeKay as Peter Burke, Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey
Photo credit: David Giesbrecht/USA

The 90-minute premiere features the overall set-up for the characters and a case of art fraud that is surprisingly well-crafted. The dialogue writing on “White Collar” needs some work but the plot writing is quick and clever with enough twists and turns to maintain viewer interest. Let’s hope they keep it up. And with a few tweaks to the dialogue, something that I think will come as the writers and actors become more attuned to these characters, “White Collar” will only improve.

Of course, the writing of the actual mysteries won’t matter if viewers don’t take to the two leads. A show like this wins half the battle on casting alone and Bomer and DeKay are a perfect pair. Bomer’s smooth style is perfectly balanced by DeKay’s more old-fashioned delivery. The supporting cast, including Tiffani Thiessen and Willie Garson (“Sex and the City”) are also interesting.

On the spectrum of USA shows, “White Collar” is probably closest to “Burn Notice,” the best show on the network right now (and it’s no coincidence as the premiere was directed by a vet of “Burn”). Both series have interesting mysteries/capers that are fueled by the characters not just supported by them. It’s hard to say how a show will connect after just one episode but, especially with the recent track record of USA Network, don’t bet against “White Collar”.

‘White Collar,’ which airs on USA, stars Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Tiffani Thiessen, and Willie Garson. The show premieres on October 23rd, 2009 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Final Season of ‘Monk’ Opens With Good Episode; ‘Psych’ Also Returns

BrianTT — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:08:45 -0400

CHICAGO – For seven years, USA Network’s “Monk” has consistently delivered quality entertainment. It’s never been a show that set out to break the rules or even do anything too interesting within them, but it has rarely faltered at all in its ability to entertain, something that can be said about very few series that have been on this long. Like a great old band going for one final tour, the final season of “Monk” promises to play all the greatest hits and go out on a high note.

TV Rating: 3.5/5.0

You’d have to have lived under a rock for the ’00s or just bought your first TV to be saying “what is this show called ‘Monk’”? The award-winning mystery series has been a beloved part of the basic cable landscape for the better part of the decade and the season premiere of the final arc of the show doesn’t break the pattern of what fans have come to expect from the Tony Shalhoub vehicle.

Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk.
Photo credit: Vivian Zink/USA

The actor with some of the best comic timing on television portrays Adrian Monk, a brilliant San Francisco detective with OCD that makes getting through the day difficult but often helps him get the bad guy. His phobias have increased since the murder of his wife Trudy years ago and he needs the regular assistance of Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard) just to get from point A to point B. Assisting with the weekly mystery are the deadpan Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenant Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford).

The opening episode of the eighth and final season of “Monk” features Elizabeth Perkins (“Weeds”) and Rena Sofer in “Mr. Monk’s Favorite Show”. Perkins plays the star of an old sitcom that looks inspired by “The Brady Bunch”. She’s releasing a tell-all book and someone’s trying to kill her. Enter Monk to solve the crime and the fact that the star happens to be from his favorite show adds to the comedy quotient.

“Monk” is mostly a one-man show (although Levine is better than he gets credit for and Howard & Gray-Stanford certainly aren’t bad), but it’s a great one-man show with Shalhoub having won 3 Emmy Awards for his work (and nominated again this summer).

It’s comfort-food television. Every week, fans have tuned in knowing that the mystery will be solved by the bumbling detective. It’s heartwarming to think that if someone with OCD as bad as Adrian Monk can get the bad guy than there’s hope for this world.

The opening episode of the final season of “Monk” delivers the same blend of quirky comedy and intriguing mystery that fans of the show have come to know and love. I can’t imagine anyone who has watched the series for seven years, tuning into “Mr. Monk’s Favorite Show” and canceling their season pass for the rest of the season. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that it’s above the average in terms of laughs, mystery, and Shalhoub’s performance when compared to three-dozen-or-so episodes of the show I’ve seen since its premiere.

Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Tony Shalhoub.
Photo credit: Vivian Zink/USA

The final season of “Monk” promises personal revelations for all of the characters, including the return of Sharona (Bitty Schram) and the resolution of the mystery of who killed Monk’s wife Trudy. From the tone and execution of the season premiere, “Monk” looks likely to go out delivering the same quality television that it has been doing since 2002.

After the premiere, guest stars for season eight include Dylan Baker, Meat Loaf, Bernie Kopell, Jay Mohr, Daniel Stern, Alex Wolff, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Eric Balfour, Kelly Carlson, and Reed Diamond. Special appearances will also be made by Tim Bagley as Monk’s nemesis Harold Krenshaw and Bitty Schram.

The desperate kid brother to “Monk,” the decent-but-frustrating “Psych,” also returns tonight after the season premiere of “Monk”.

James Roday, Dule Hill, and Corbin Bernsen return for the fourth season of “Psych,” a show that has never quite found the rhythm or the driving lead performance of “Monk,” but can occasionally deliver as an entertaining diversion. The season premiere, “Extradition: British Columbia,” features the boys outwitting a notorious art thief played by Cary Elwes.

The ‘Monk’ season premiere airs on USA Network on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 8pm CST. It stars Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford.

The ‘Psych’ season premiere airs on USA Network on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 9pm CST. It stars James Roday, Dule Hill, and Corbin Bernsen.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

2009 Mid-Season TV Preview: ‘Lost,’ ‘Damages,’ ‘Nip/Tuck,’ ‘24,’ More

BrianTT — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:08:01 -0500

CHICAGO – Be honest, TV fans. Fall 2008 was lackluster at best. The TV season really starts now.

With the strike delaying production on established series and the development of new ones, many more programs are returning or premiering in Jan. 2009 than the average mid-season. It couldn’t have come at a more important time for the medium, too.

To be blunt, the first 31 days of 2009 could be one of the most important months in the history of television. It comes down to this - If established hits like “24,” “Damages,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Monk,” “American Idol,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Lost,” and “The Closer” don’t meet expectations and if a new show like “United States of Tara,” “The Beast,” “Lie To Me,” or “Trust Me” can’t take off and become an established hit, television is likely to change forever.

Sound like an exaggeration? Consider this - NBC gave up on an hour of original, scripted programming every single night. They’re so disappointed in their slate of 10 pm dramas, including failures like “My Own Worst Enemy,” that they’re handing over an hour of TV every night to talk show host Jay Leno. It’s one of the most amazing programming decisions of the last few years and proof that original television on the big networks is changing for good. Does anyone think we’re that far off from all reality and talk on the major networks with original programming relegated to pay cable, basic cable, and the internet? I don’t.

And the Leno story is only one of the biggest headlines of a season that has seen far more failures than successes. Shows that took off the post-strike period, including “Pushing Daisies” and “Dirty Sexy Money,” saw ratings decline every week before their cancellations. It feels like people left during the strike and simply never came back.

New hits? There aren’t any outside of CBS, the only network that has anything to be happy about this year with the massive success of “The Mentalist” and the continued growth of “The Big Bang Theory” and “How I Met Your Mother”. More than ever, the buzz in 2008 went from the big networks to the cable box with HBO launching new hits, Showtime developing their own, and even AMC developing a reputation for quality.

We’ll get into what worked and what didn’t in our TV year in review next week at HollywoodChicago.com, but let’s look ahead before we look back. Is it too late for the broadcast networks to save this sinking ship? Are NBC, Fox, and ABC done? Will there be another “Mad Men” in the bunch of shows premiering this month? Can a series actually improve on last year’s ratings for once? Let’s hope so.

Stay tuned to HollywoodChicago.com for reviews and coverage of all the upcoming series and mark your calendar with the highlights of the coming month on the following page, in chronological order.