view from the couch

Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson star in ABC’s new half-hour comedy Surviving Suburbia which premieres on the 6th. The show, which was originally supposed to air on The CW, is about a cynical dad who openly questions the day-to-day idiosyncrasies of life in the suburbs. ABC will unveil its new cop dramedy, The Unusuals on April 8th. The series focuses on a group of quirky NYPD detectives who all have secrets and eccentricities the both help and hinder their job performance.
Over on CBS, things get creepy on Harper’s Island. The 13-episode mini-series has a group of 20-somethings, visiting the island for a wedding, being killed off one by one by a serial killer. Part Scream, part Agatha Christie, the show promises to, at the very least, be something different in the vanilla TV landscape. Harper’s Island premieres on the 9th.
Also airing on the 9th is NBC’s new comedy Parks & Recreation. The Amy Poehler vehicle takes a look at the mundane but often times hilarious world of local government.
Right after that new comedy comes Southland, NBC’s newest police drama. The series follows a seasoned cop whose no-nonsense approach to the job leaves his rookie partner questioning whether or not he has what it takes. The show also premieres on the 9th.
Fox is adding another animated comedy to its line up with Sit Down, Shut Up, a series based on an Australian show of the same name. Created by Arrested Development helmer Mitch Hurwitz along with Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum from Two and a Half Men, the show promises to bring the laughs as it follows the lives of a group of unconventional high school teachers and the students who must put up with them. Sit Down, Shut Up premieres April 19th.

rent this!
Twilight (starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Ashley Greene)
Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality.
Stephanie Meyer’s young-adult novel series Twilight became something of an overnight sensation with teens (oh, alright, we loved it too!) when the first volume hit shelves in 2005. Like any wildly successful book, the story was adapted into a movie that brought fans to the theater in droves when it was released last fall. The little film (the budget was $37 million- chump change in Hollywood) ended up making over $370 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
The story follows the whirlwind romance of Bella (Kristen Stewart), a normal teenage girl, and Edward (Robert Pattinson), a tortured vampire. The two are drawn to one another despite the fact that Edward must use every ounce of willpower he has not to devour our heroine. Their love potentially turns deadly when a group of nomadic vampires comes to town and sees Bella as the ultimate snack.
Okay, so we freely admit that the book is way better, but Twilight does have its good points. First, the casting is spot on. Each character is brought to the screen looking exactly how most of us pictured them (with the exception of Peter Facinelli as Carlisle- he just looks off). Second, unlike most book-to-film adaptations, the filmmakers did take care to stick to the story as best they could. Meyer herself played a big part in ensuring that her vision faithfully translated to the screen and fans the world over thank her for it. Finally, Bella and Edward’s steamy first kiss? HOT!
Fans of the book and the movie will be pleased with last month’s Twilight DVD release. In addition to the film that had teen girls lining up at the box office for months, the release offers plenty of bonus features to sink your teeth into (get it?!). The single-disc edition an audio commentary track with director Catherine Hardwicke, Stewart and Pattinson, music videos from Muse, Paramore and Linkin Park and five extended scenes with director introductions. Spring for the two-disc special edition and get all of that plus five deleted scenes with director intros, the seven-part production documentary The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen, The Comic-Con Phenomenon featurette and a look at some of the ways they promoted the film.
If you haven’t seen Twilight or read any of the books, this is your chance to see what all the fuss is about. While not Oscar-worthy, the film is a great escape from a dull afternoon and would make a decent date night selection.

dvd releases

April 7
Doubt (Rated PG-13)
The Tale of Despereaux (Rated G)
Bedtime Stories (Rated PG)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (Rated PG-13)

April 14
The Reader (Rated R)
The Spirit (Rated PG-13)

April 21
Frost/Nixon (Rated R)
The Wrestler (Rated R)

April 28
Bride Wars (Rated PG)
S. Darko (Rated R)