More CSI departure announcements

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More shocking CSI news: Marg Helgenberger is leaving CSI after this coming season.

If I have to take a guess as to how they'll write her out of the show - I'd probably have to go with her inheriting her bio-dad's (Sam Braun) riches and retiring to be there for her kid full time (haha). Maybe. For Catherine Willows to die would be a waste; it'd be like when Warrick died. As quoted by Helgenberger, I also hope that she doesn't get killed off.

If she's leaving, then it means that someone needs to be the lab's new night shift supervisor, which in this case would have to be George Eads's character Nick Stokes as he was her right-hand man for the last few seasons. It would be sad if the guy doesn't get a promotion on the show after all the shit he's been through.

Urgh, now to wait for the season premiere with BIEBER guest starring as "a troubled teen". Ish.

More Imam Muda

Apparently after several weeks of non-elimination in the beginning (cos they wanted to give some of the contestants chances to improve themselves), they have been doing double eliminations so that they would have a final two in time for the finale next week. I can't wait to find out who wins.

The first episode started with them preparing (cleaning and wrapping up) unclaimed bodies for their last rites, which was a little shocking, admittedly. For the odd non-Muslim Malaysian viewer (I would be one such individual) most of the show at this point would be a little boring because there's really little to no in-fighting amongst the contestants, which is a draw for the other reality shows. Everyone is so nice, polite and supportive of each other (they even attended one guy's wedding, which was briefly featured on the show). The Q&A sessions during judging are also a little dull because while their answers might have merit, but the way their answers are presented reminded me of the coaching we got  for the SPM Moral Studies exam, to answer the questions all long-winded and stiff. 

With all the gross stuff was behind them and it's now down to them doing acts of decency like visiting orphanages and old folks' homes. Which is why I find myself skipping three quarters of the show and just watch the ending.

As a Malaysian I COULD watch the show without resorting to the English subtitles, but I leave them on anyway because they're better than most of the bad subtitling I've seen in Malaysia. I think later episodes posted on YouTube have English subtitles now, so it's not too bad.

Random observation: What is with this show and facial hair? Almost everyone has a beard of some sort at the very least on the show. Is it a requirement of religious officials that I was never aware of?

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• Malaysian Reality Show Seeks Young Imam (npr.org)
• Imam Muda: Malaysian Reality Show Seeks Next Male Muslim Leader (huffingtonpost.com)

The NPR piece is worth listening to (and there's also a transcript of the audio segment at the link) - I can't believe Robert Siegel got the pronunciation of the show down. Which is not saying much if he has indeed been watching a little of the show.

Watching - The Kilborn File

So I've been watching clips (or full episodes, really) of The Kilborn File on YouTube the last day or two - not every single episode, just the guests that I want to see and whatever's available.

I've never seen the guy when he hosted both The Daily Show and The Late Late Show back in the day because I was too young and there wasn't the technology to watch it from the other side of the planet, so I'm not one to judge.

I also can't say I'm a fan of the guy, but he strikes me (a little) of Dane Cook's character in Good Luck Chuck - where his replacements make a better job of the shows he's left than he did when he was there. Relatively, anyway.

What I like about The Kilborn File so far is that the humour is not as political as the current incarnation of The Daily Show, but I don't get most of the segments, like 5 Questions and the Power Panel. Maybe it's just me.

Much as I am a fan of talk shows, but The Kilborn File? Erm, not really.

He's only getting a six week trial run and in several markets, so I'm not sure whether he'll be picked up for fall.

Imam Muda

It's sad that I have to find out about Imam Muda from the foreign press when I could have tuned into the Astro Oasis (Channel 106; the Muslim channel, or the VERY Muslim-y Hallmark Channel). But there's only so much TV that one can watch in a week. Even then, I keep forgetting to tune in.

When I finally did remember to tune in, it was the episode where they were tested on what is halal and haram in terms of animal slaughtering. I now know the motions of the neck slice (in theory), but not the prayer that goes with it. Somehow knowing that the McDs here is halal is comforting - I don't think I'll find anything unsavoury in my McNuggets anytime soon.

Imam Muda basically a "reality" talent show for to find the ultimate "young religious leader" out of the 10 male contestants of varying backgrounds. They're schooled and tested on both their skills and knowledge on a weekly basis. There's also the 5 minute capsule shows where the lessons and such are broadcasted, but I personally can't be bothered, I just stick to the main show, which is when the eliminations are done. The winner gets a pilgrimage trip, car, etc and a job in one of mosques in KL.

I'm really surprised that no one's come up with this sooner (not the reality show genre, but the idea of Muslim leaders). The one thing I like is that there's NO PUBLIC VOTE (according to the BBC News piece on the show).

As a non-Muslim watching, I thought it's engaging enough. Learnt some things. Some of the racists I know could stand to learn a thing or two. 

I also just found out that you can watch the show on YouTube - just plug in the name of the show in the search bar. I think some of the later episodes come with English subtitles as well, which is handy because the show is in Malay; and I need help with some of the regional dialects and some of the religious terms I was not familiar with.

Will Hugh Laurie finally win an Emmy? Hmm...

Hugh Laurie was again nominated for an Emmy for being Dr House. Yay for him.

Then I saw the other nominees in the same category and I'm like, uh-oh... mostly because the other 4 are on cable and cable shows usually sweep these things up. The only other network show is Lost - ick.

Here's what I think about the other nominees in the same category.

1. Jon Hamm - Won't win, but he'll be nominated again.
2. Kyle Chandler  (Friday Night Lights) - another show I don't give a shit about because it's about American football. There has been precedence of first nomination wins at the Emmys, but poor Hugh's been nominated so many times and still nothing, so maybe not. Are they cancelling Friday Night Lights? Is that why the show's getting mentioned?
3. Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) - he'll be nominated again, unless his character finally dies and the show is over....Hasn't he won before? Not likely to win THIS time.
4. Michael C. Hall (Dexter) - since he's cured of his lymphoma, he probably won't win; he'll be nominated again.
5. Matthew Fox (Lost) - Most likely to win because Lost is over and he's been quoted that he's "done with television" - they might give him the Emmy to lure him back in.

So in sum, Hugh Laurie has about 1/3 chance of winning an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Maybe. At the very least, it's between him and Matthew Fox.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

Who's voting for this again? If I'm not wrong I don't think it's the public... so it's up to those voters.

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• Why Hugh Laurie Must Win the Emmy in 2010-Part 1 (blogcritics.org)
• Why Hugh Laurie Must Win the Emmy in 2010: Part 2 (blogcritics.org)

No more Stella...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

More CSI franchise departure news - After six years, Melina Kanakaredes is leaving CSI:NY. That one I did not see coming. Really.

Sure, they say she's "moving on", but really, if I had that much shit happen to my character on the show (kill an ex-boyfriend in self-defense in a hostage situation, the AIDS scare, house fire, getting attacked by various people, yada yada)... yeah sure, "moving on". I have to say it, she's like the New York equivalent of Nick Stokes in terms of having shit happen to her in the course of the show.

I'm not a hater, but I never exactly MINDED her presence on the show, either.

Like every other cast member departure, I just want to see how she gets written off the show, or if there's a Stella replacement on the show like Laurence Fishburne on CSI.

Work of Art: The Next Great Artist

Been catching up on the new Bravo reality competition show, Work of Art: The Next Great Artist because I'm a sucker that way. And I've also already seen both Shear Genius and Top Design, so what the hey - I'm about as conversant about art as I am about hair styling or interior design :P

In the Bravo trend of having non-American born hosts, this show is hosted by China Chow, another woman I'm not familiar with and the last time I looked, is not American (born). I don't even want to get started on the name, so I will resist the urge. Her credentials for being both the host and judge was that she "grew up around art". Oh-kay.

At least the rest of the judging panel are FROM the art world - gallery owner, gallerist (whatever that means) and art critic. And also the Tim Gunn-like guru figure, Simon de Pury.

I think the only reason why they bother green lighting the show is because Sarah Jessica Parker's an executive producer. She made an appearance once in the premiere for the slight ratings boost. Let's start a tally of the appearances.

China's "axe phrase": "Your work of art didn't work for us" - ouch. It's a bit cheesy, that's all I got. But it's not like the rest of the elimination spiel was any better.

I'm not sure how they're gonna pick the "best" artist in this beaten-to-death format, but I'll be watching to see how they do it. I'm not even sure if they'll finish the season to get picked up for another. Oh well.