Can 'Tyrant' Be FX's Next Big Hit & Provide A Solid Summer Show For Fans At The Same Time?

I am always on the look out for new shows to watch, but especially at this time of year. The summer is often suffers from a glut of original programming, and in years previous was always the place to show re-runs and dump shows that the networks don't think can make it in the Fall. However, attitudes have changed with the cable success of shows like True Blood (one of HBO's best regarded) and network shows like Under The Dome (huge ratings for CBS last summer, returning next week!). Now all networks are not only scrambling to come up with original shows for the summer... they are going BIG on the shows they are putting out. Tyrant is one of FX's entries for this summer (they also have The Strain from Guillermo del Torro, which I am looking forward to as well) and it promises to be big on drama and budget. The Middle East set show focuses on a family of significant power in that area of the world and the struggles that come with that power. It has the feel of The Godfather to it, and FX is sparing no expense, filming the show on location in Moracco to get the authentic feel for the area of the world they are portraying. It also comes from the executive producers of Homeland, which have been doing a hell of a job over at Showtime. All in all, I am intrigued. The first show is tonight (Tuesday) at 10 pm... tune in. The Tyrant on FX Youtube page has a bunch of 30 second trailers, which you can watch by clicking here. You can see two very informative teaser clips, one about the show and one about the location shooting, after the jump embedded. I think this might be a good one... we shall see!!!

Another Stephen King Story Is Getting The Small Screen Adaption This Summer...

I have never made any apologizes for my total allegiance to Stephen King... the man has made my childhood and early adult life wonderful with his writing, and whether you like his works or not it is hard to deny his success. Most people know him for his horror work... I get it, it makes up the majority of his work that people know. But the dude has so many other genres of writing that he has touched on it blows my mind. He is truly the quintessential American writer of the last 40 years, and my reasoning for that is just the sheer body of work he has created and how far reaching his stuff has grown. King has had his fair share of works adapted for film or TV... mostly horror projects (The Shining, Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Dead Zone, Etc), but also a lot of mainstream subject books (The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, Under The Dome, etc) have been adapted as well. Some have been great, some have been awful... but in this current state of TV (with the short order summer TV series dominating the market) it is ripe for some of King's works to shine. Under the Dome was one of the biggest hits of last summer (amazing TV...) and The Following was also a big fan fave last year (not one of King's works, but in the same vein), so ABC is trying to catch lightening in a bottle again, adapting King's short story 'The NY Times At A Special Bargain Rate' for a summer series in 2014. Check after the jump for more details...

'The Newsroom' Is The Reason To Watch TV This Summer

Last night I tuned into HBO's newest original program, 'The Newsroom'. The show comes from the mind of Aaron Sorkin, and boasts an all star cast with the likes of Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Allison Pill, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel,  and Sam Waterson. I was vaguely interested in the show, but I didn't have it as a must see on my agenda. I figured I would catch up to it eventually on DVR or On Demand. But last night after 'True Blood' ended and 'The Newsroom' was set to begin, I decided to tune in and see how it would go on the first night. What a great decision!!!!! The show was fantastic... without a doubt it opened with one of the greatest opening scenes ever and just continued to steamroll as the show went on. I was engrossed with the characters, the acting was spectacular (especially from Daniels as the gruff news anchor & Pill as the bubbly young assistant), and the shows writing shined brightly. All of this splashed against the backdrop of the BP oil spill... wow, just wow. I loved everything about this show and I can't wait to see how this first season plays out. My one disappointment from the first show? Had to be the fact that my Asian pear Olivia Munn did not appear in the first episode... but she will be coming up a lot in the next few episodes and I can't wait. Given the fact that 'True Bood' has fallen off and I didn't have much on the docket for this summer when it comes to TV, I am glad that 'The Newsroom' has come along to fill the void. lets see how it all plays out!!!! Please enjoy the opening scene after the jump.... if this does not get you hooked in, I don't know what will.

Two Shows You Should Check Out This Summer...

The spring TV season has come to an end, and in years past that would mean plenty of re-runs for us to enjoy over the summer months. It's like TV programmers want people to stop watching TV for June, July and August and then come back like loyal dogs in September for the fall lineup. But lately, summer programming on the old "boob tube" has become better and better. The networks are using this time to test shows out, and are even acknowledging that the summer is an important season to come out on top of the ratings chart. There are two shows that just started, and I watched the first episodes of both... and I enjoyed them immensely.

The first of the shows is ABC's new horror/thriller show, The Gates. At first glance, it seems like another show trying to capitalize on the "Vampire" trend. But this is not the case... well, not really. There are vampires on The Gates. But there are also werewolves, witches, and god knows what else inside this gated community. And this gated community has got some high tech security and a fully functioning downtown area so that all the residents can stay inside and never have to leave. Throw in the mix a new chief of police, who is relocating from Chicago and a highly debated murder of a criminal, and we have ourselves a show. Is the gated community to keep the monsters out... or keep the monsters in? And whats with all the rules for monsters that do reside there? Hot piece of ass Rhona Mitra is the biggest name in this show, and she looked good as shit in the first episode. Thats reason enough to check this one out. It airs Sundays @ 10pm on ABC, and you can catch the first of it here.

The second show is a new cop program on TNT. It's called Memphis Beat, and stars Jason Lee as a detective with a bit of a quirky side. He likes to dress up like Elvis... so, thats not so bad, is it. I watched the first episode last night, and I loved it. Alfre Woodard stars as his superior officer, making this her second show on TV this summer (she is also on True Blood). They have a dynamic relationship. The show also features uber-geek DJ Qualls, who stars as a young deputy who idolizes Lee. I am a huge Jason Lee fan, ever since his days of starring in Kevin Smith movies. Memphis Beat airs on Tuesday nights @ 10 pm. You can catch the first episode here. 

So there you go... only 1 show in for each of these, so don't start sending me hate mail if they suck balls. Enjoy the summer and get outside... but then come back to watch the tube!!!