CMI on TV

2015 Emmys Host Andy Samberg Touches On All Liberal Talking Points in His Opener
by: Dylan Gwinn | Sunday, September 20, 2015 - 7:56pm

2015 Emmy host Andy Samberg made sure to touch on all current lib talking points for his opener tonight: diversity, the wage gap, Donald Trump's racism, and even Kim Davis!

But the big story this year, of course is diversity. This is the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history, so congratulations, Hollywood, you did it! [ Applause ] Yeah. Racism is over! Don't fact check that. [ Laughter ] Of course, given our history, being more diverse than ever isn't always saying that much. I bet on the day of Jackie Robinson's first game, the baseball commissioner was like, "This year's Brooklyn dodgers are the most diverse ever in history! You know, it's good." The wage gap between men and women hired for major roles in Hollywood is still an issue. Wait a minute, I misread that the age gap between men and women in Hollywood is a major issue. Wait, again...

CBS' 'Zoo' Speaks Of God And Prayer In A Positive Way
by: Dylan Gwinn | Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 12:15pm

Last night’s 2-hour episode of CBS’ ‘Zoo’ titled ‘Eats, Shoots and Leaves; Wild Things’ surprised me in a very pleasant way. Not only did the show’s producers kick things up a notch with exciting fight scenes and interrogations that reminded me of one of my favorite old shows ’24,’ but also they spoke of religion in a non-negative way, which is outright shocking given this is a network show and a show populated with militant animal activist characters.

Here, safari guide Abraham (Nonso Anozie) travels in a territory overrun by African animals that have decided to start killing humans for sport. As he drives, frightened, he has the same experience that many non-believers have when they in desperation of one sort or another decide to come to Jesus. Here’s the clip:

'Zoo' Provides Some Balance In A Typically Unbalanced Show
by: Dylan Gwinn | Wednesday, September 2, 2015 - 3:54pm

It’s not often that we get to do this. However, kudos are in order for CBS’ action drama ‘Zoo,’ because on this week’s episode, an episode called, “Emotional Contagion,” the animal rights wacko series actually gave credit to the other side of the argument.

But first things first. Let’s meet new character Ray Endicott (Warren Christie) who struggles to make friends with the locals:

   

>> Come on, Baggo. I think there's been a misunderstanding... Can you at least take off the high school ring, sport? I know how proud you are that you have made it as far as high school. Oh! There they are! All the way from Africa to defend my honor!

>> See you're still as popular as ever, Ray.

>> Meet my pals, David and Goliath. Bet you didn't know they reconciled and now they wander the globe...

Cop Hate Rules the Evening at the 2015 MTV VMAs
by: Dylan Gwinn | Monday, August 31, 2015 - 12:58am

Whether jokingly implied or painfully obvious, the 2015 MTV VMAs did not hide their support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement by providing some cop hate to go along with the movement’s mantra of violence and hatred towards police. All this while they sat safely inside the LAPD-guarded Microsoft Theater having their fun. I’m sure all of the celebrities arrived and left unguarded, especially Miss Miley Cyrus.

Actress Rebel Wilson made a show of saying “F*ck the Police Strippers” here.

**WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE**

     

Which might have been excusable as a not-funny joke (though even the “BlackLivesMatter crowd was not laughing) if it were not for the other cop-hate examples of the evening....

Because the MTV VMA's Could Not Begin Without Mention of the Cecil the Lion Controversy
by: Dylan Gwinn | Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 9:04pm

 

Taylor Swift's video "Wildest Dreams" debuted at the 2015 VMA's on MTV. This message is what followed the video.

USA's 'Mr. Robot' Shouldn't Just Delay its Shooting Scene Out Of Respect for Roanoke, They Should Delete It
by: Dylan Gwinn | Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 10:50am

USA’s 'Mr. Robot' did not air its season finale Wednesday night. Citing a need to be sensitive to the shooting that killed two journalists in Roanoke, the network aired a previous episode along with this statement to explain their decision:

Though I applaud USA’s sensitivity to airing that scene in such close proximity to the Virginia shooting, I’ve got a better way for them to handle the situation which would be even more meaningful, and just might save lives.

Delete the scene.

Don’t delay it a week. Don’t simply try to bury it in next week’s news/entertainment rotation when it will trampled underfoot by the relentless forward grind of the American news cycle. Delete it, scrap it, get rid of it.

Because here’s the thing: we now know that the Virginia shooter (whose name I will not mention...

'The Carmichael Show' Takes on Black Lives Matter in a Surprising Way
by: Alexa Moutevelis Coombs | Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 3:21am

The Carmichael Show continues to pleasantly surprise (read about the pilot here) with its second episode, "Protest." It opens with the news that there is a protest going on because an unarmed teenager was shot by police in the city. This excites Maxine (Amber Stevens West) who bemoans the fact that she "tried to go to Occupy Wall Street but my flight landed when the protest ended, so I just saw 'Book of Mormon' twice and went home.”

She dons a "Black Lives Matter" t-shirt and starts talking about how exciting it is, prompting Joe (David Alan Grier) to ask, "Do you always get this giddy when somebody gets shot?" He has reason to be skeptical:

-Cynthia: You know, Maxine is right--...

'The Carmichael Show' Smashes Stereotypes: Defends Bush, Bashes Obama
by: Alexa Moutevelis Coombs | Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 1:32am

For all conservatives sick and tired of being trashed and talked down to by network television, boy, do I have a show for you!

Last night The Carmichael Show premiered on NBC, a sitcom starring Jerrod Carmichael, Amber Stevens West, David Alan Grier, and Loretta Devine, about a very opinionated black family in Charlotte. The show gets very political, but not only does it tackle relevant issues like voter registration, why blacks support Obama, and religious liberties - it does so in a very fair way that is friendly to conservatives while actually being funny!

In fact, you may be surprised by the conservative values espoused by several of the characters.

For example, after lead actor Jerrod gives a stirring patriotic monologue about Obama's inspriring story, he questions why Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize:

...

Insensitive Priest Doesn't Understand the 'Pure Love' of Polygamy on ABC's 'Mistresses'
by: Alexa Moutevelis Coombs | Thursday, August 13, 2015 - 10:44pm

File this under Words I Never Expected to Hear on Network Television: "Yes, Father, it's called a 'throuple.'"

And so began Karen's explanation to her priest of her threesome polyamorous relationship with a husband and wife that led to her getting pregnant, in Mistresses season 3's 10th episode "What Could Have Been."

Priest: ...The husband, the wife, and you?
Karen: Yes, father. It's called a throuple.
-Well, that's a kitschy little term. Karen, you know that I'm open-minded about a good many things, but in a situation like this, there is only one thing to do.
-What's that?
-Carry the child to term, then give it up for adoption.
-I've never seen that as an option.
-Well, it's the only one you have if...

TNT's 'The Last Ship' Reminds Us Who the People Who Fight For Us Are
by: Dylan Gwinn | Monday, August 24, 2015 - 9:51pm

If Adam Baldwin gets all the cool one-liners on TNT’s “The Last Ship” (and he does), then the Command Master Chief Jeter (Charles Parnell) gets all the great speeches. On Sunday night’s episode, “Valkyrie,” Jeter addresses the crew after four of their fellow crewmen were killed in a sabotaged oil rig explosion.

It’s an incredible speech about those who sacrifice and risk all for our country, which could apply to any generation of soldiers at any time. Yet, one that I found exceptionally moving as France celebrates American servicemen saving their bacon...again.

Enjoy.

     

>> We’ve taken out share of hits these past few weeks... Suffered painful losses. Sometimes, it feels like more than we can bear. Yet, here we gather, united. Shipmates. Every time we're called, we answer...