By Antony
March 20, 2005 - 9:43 PMHello World! This is my first Site Column here at Get Desperate! For those that don't know, this will be a regular Sunday column which will cover what episode is airing in the US on that day (as long as it's not pre-empted), messageboard topics of interest and my own personal ramblings...
So I kick off with Doctor Who and the BBC. I imagine everyone knows Doctor Who—it's the UK's answer to Star Trek. After many years away, it's coming back for a new series. I was interested by the Variety article that I reported on (story) last week that said how ABC news shows were using Desperate Housewives in a sort of circle of publicity. I'd say the US isn't alone is such practices though.
I've not got a strong opinion of Doctor Who one way or the other. I watched a bit as a kid, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. I'm curious, I may tune in when it airs here next Saturday. But I almost feel like shunning the show purely because the BBC (which those of us in the UK are forced to pay a licence fee for) is flogging the show to death before it's even began.
I could live with the billboards that I saw every few meters when in London yesterday. I could live with the umpteen TV trailers. The "leak" of the first episode which went onto download networks and created lots of media coverage was pushing it (just a coincidence the founder of the Viral Advertising Association told them to "release things before their time"). But what I particularly object to is the BBC "news" site being turned into a Doctor Who fan site.
One day recently the BBC site had Doctor Who on the front page of its news site not once, not twice, but three times. And in the UK section, the technology section, the entertainment section and the have your say section... eugh. The whole matter of TV episodes didn't have a light shone on it because of a recent report that says the UK is one of the top downloading countries in the world. No no no. (Incidentally Desperate Housewives was credited for a good portion of that.) It was because Doctor Who was available for download, claimed the BBC!
And the blatant plugs continue. Today, there's some elaborate puff piece about how the Welsh First Minister that most people will not have heard of (even here in the UK, maybe even Wales for all I know) almost got made up as a Doctor Who alien. This is worthy of front page placement, sitting alongside articles on abortion, UK debt, and the right-to-die debate. In the "news" article, which you can read here, I particularly love the quote which says: "Viewers will have to watch Doctor Who to see if [Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan] is in it."
I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait! Talk Desperate! threads Below are some of the topics currently being discussed at Talk Desperate!:
- Is DH a new twist in TV?
- What hooked you into the show?
- What shows did you first see the cast in?
More topics can be found at the Talk Desperate! Poll Results Below are the results of the most recent Get Desperate! poll:
Who is your favourite among the men of 'Desperate Housewives?'
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James Denton (Mike Delfino) |
 34.8% - (55
Votes) |
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Jesse Metcalfe (John Rowland) |
21.5% - (34
Votes) |
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Steven Culp (Rex Van De Kamp) |
20.8% - (33
Votes) |
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Shawn Pyfrom (Andrew Van De Kamp) |
10.7% - (17
Votes) |
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Doug Savant (Tom Scavo) |
6.3% - (10
Votes) |
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Cody Kasch (Zach Young) |
2.5% - (4
Votes) |
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Ricardo Antonio Chavira (Carlos Solis) |
2.5% - (4
Votes) |
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Mark Moses (Paul Young) |
0.6% - (1
Votes) |
Total Votes: 158
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Christian started a topic at the messageboard that made me think. So this poll is to gauge you on what you think. Is Edie a desperate housewife? [an error occurred while processing this directive]
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Brenda Strong (Mary Alice Young) and Marcia Cross (Bree Van De Kamp) who will both celebrate their birthday on March 25.
Today's Television Listings It's the last re-run tonight before new episodes begin next week. Tonight's re-run is "Every Day A Little Death". Here's a synopsis:
The residents of Wisteria Lane finally learn Martha Huber's fate, and the truth has unexpected consequences for Susan. Meanwhile Bree finds her new beau, George, getting a little too close for comfort; Lynette concocts an elaborate fib about Parker's health to get into a yoga class; and Carlos returns, but his homecoming isn't quite what Gabrielle had in mind. Discuss this news item at Talk Desperate!
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Also a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fan? Then visit CSIFiles.com!
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