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Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James star in FX's "Terriers" (FX @ 10pm). We ask: Why would you watch anything else?
Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James star in FX's "Terriers" (FX @ 10pm). We ask: Why would you watch anything else?
I talked to Donal Logue today [interview to be posted next week] about his FX show "Terriers" (10pm, Tonight). Logue has just returned after a 3-week cross-country tour promoting the show along with co-star Michael Raymond-James and told us about the fans that the show has created far and wide. It's no secret that "Terriers" has been a favorite of ours and the 10pm Wednesday pick since it began airing. We talked up the screeners that we got long before we talked to Logue at the "Sons of Anarchy" premiere back in September. This great show is run by Shawn Ryan ("The Shield", "Lie To Me") with an incredible supporting cast (Laura Allen, Kimberly Quinn, etc.) and is headed by Logue and Raymond-James. We defy you to find a better, more-realistic, and genuine duo on current television than these two. The show is fun to watch, the dialogue and plot are excellent, and nothing shakes "Terriers" off my dial for real-time viewing on a Wednesday at 10pm so we are dismayed at its low viewership. Why aren't more people watching this show? What else could they be watching?Did FX screw up in how they positioned and marketed the show? Yes. While I applaud the network for their brave support of many cutting edge shows, going with the "dog theme" for "Terriers" was confusing and distracted from the show's many strengths. FX should have made an adjustment weeks ago but they haven't and we hardly see any current promotion for the show much less newer and better advertising. [Full disclosure: This is pure opinion on my part, Donal Logue has told me that the network has been nothing but "incredibly supportive" of the show and I believe him, FX obviously wants all their shows to be a success - they just didn't do their homework on this one or weren't as nimble and reactive as they could have been.] FX, as usual, has done their best to provide access to whomever I'd like to talk to and has been among the most forthcoming with materials, clips, and advance notice of their programming so I'm not putting all the responsibility on FX for whatever has gone wrong here. The biggest issue is that viewers are choosing to watch other things.
Forgive me for ranting a little, but let's look at some of these other "things" that are getting more viewers than "Terriers". For this we turn to the invaluable TVByTheNumbers.com, which we can not live without. Since it would be unfair to compare basic cable's "Terriers" with broadcast dreck like "The Defenders" and "The Whole Truth" (the uninspiring and now cancelled Maura Tierney vehicle that even Tierney and executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer couldn't get excited about at the Summer TCAs) let's look at some of the cable competitors that are getting more viewers at 10pm: "Black Gold" (truTV), "What's Eating You?" (E!), "I Love Money" (VH1), "LA Ink" (TLC), "Steven Seagal: Lawman" (A&E), "The Ultimate Fighter" (Spike). It's incredible that any single one of these reality/contest shows would get more viewers than a scripted gem like "Terriers" much less all of them.
I thought most of these shows were watched exclusively by writers of "Tosh.0", "The Soup", "Web Soup", and "The Daily Show" so that they could be mined for clips as you'd have to have your irony glasses on in order to preserve your sanity. The fact remains that we have a lot of idiots out there. I feel pretty confident that "Steven Seagal: Lawman" viewers don't read LAist or probably even have the ability to read beyond a 3rd grade level. Don't try to belittle my opinion, I already know that I'm an out-of-touch elitist in the most Republican sense of the word. Tell us: What are you watching at 10pm on a Wednesday night? and for godssake, get the word out about "Terriers" - it's a great show and we'd be worse off without it and obviously I'm not doing my job here.
--- Tonight's TV Highlights: Comedy Central is on fire with new episodes of "South Park" and "Ugly Americans," as well as President Barack Obama and Apolo Anton Ohno guesting on "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" respectively. "Friday Night Lights" returns for a season premiere on DirecTV - the show is much-lauded, but since we don't have DirecTV we probably won't see any of this season. Syfy is also launching "Hollywood Treasure" if you are into TV and movie artifacts and memorabilia.
--- The TV Junkie Plan: "Modern Family", "Terriers", "The Daily Show" (President Barack Obama), "The Colbert Report" (Apolo Anton Ohno), "Dead Set", Ferguson (Donald Glover)
9:00pm SoCal Connected PBS/KCET - California Votes Part II. Ballot propositions; race for governor.
9:00pm Friday Night Lights DirecTV - Season Premiere.
9:00pm MythBusters Discovery - Adam and Jamie make magic happen; pop culture myth
9:00pm Modern Family ABC - Claire prepares to make the Dunphy house spooky for Halloween; Cameron does not like the holiday because of a traumatic childhood experience; Jay and Manny tease Gloria about her accent.
9:00pm I'd Do Anything BBC America - US Premiere. Graham Norton and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber host a show to find new talent for the roles of Nancy and a total of three youthful protégés to play orphan Oliver in the West End production of the much-loved musical Oliver!
10:00pm Storm Chasers Discovery - Reed pursues TV weather woman Ginger Zee; a long-time chaser calls it quits.
10:00pm Terriers FX - Hank and Britt both work with their ex-partners to make it out of some hot water south of the border
10:00pm South Park Comedy Central - New episode tonight.
10:00pm Hollywood Treasure Syfy - Let the Bidding Begin
10:30pm Ugly Americans Comedy Central - Mark and Callie decide to spend Halloween in Hell with her family.
11:00pm The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Comedy Central - President Barack Obama
11:30pm The Colbert Report Comedy Central - Apolo Anton Ohno
11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS - Comic Dana Carvey; TV personality Lisa Kelly; Michael Franti and Spearhead perform.
11:35pm The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC - Actor Robin Williams; director Judd Apatow; Kylie Minogue performs.
12:00am Dead Set IFC - Kelly and Mark try to find medical supplies. Life in the house becomes worse when Angel becomes a zombie and bites Grayson. Alex and Riq are shocked by what they discover.
12:05am Jimmy Kimmel Live ABC - Actor William Shatner; author Hilary Duff; A Perfect Circle performs.
12:35am The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson CBS - Actress Marg Helgenberger; actor Donald Glover.
12:35am Late Night With Jimmy Fallon NBC - Actor Alan Cumming; actor Donnie Wahlberg; impressionist Rich Little; School of Seven Bells perform
Every two years, Desert X presents site-specific outdoor installations throughout the Coachella Valley. Two Los Angeles artists have new work on display.
