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Dan Rather talks to Stephen Colbert about tonight's HDNet premiere
Dan Rather Reports premieres tonight on HDNet, and the man himself appeared on The Colbert Report to talk about the show. Check out the clip on Colbert On Demand for information on how Colbert himself has switched entirely to HDTVs -- the old ones have been composted -- and asks Dan hard hitting questions like "Do we really want to see the world in crisp detail?". The show (Rather's not Colbert's) begins tonight at 8 p.m. EST, we'll see if high-def brings the commitment to accuracy, fairness and guts the lead reporter says it will.[Via digg]
Star Wars HD marathon going on right about...now
Cinemax is bringing home all six Star Wars movies in high definition back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back, starting at midnight tonight. If you miss one don't worry, they will be repeating and also are available in many areas in HD on video-on-demand. Otherwise, this is the first time to catch all three original flicks formatted for your HDTV, if you'd like to avoid Jar-Jar Binks in 1080i, take a nap and catch Episode IV: A New Hope at 7:10 AM on Saturday.
INHD2 is dead, long live INHD1...err, Mojo
In Demand president Rob Jacobson confirmed the rumors we've been hearing about INHD, INHD2 will shut down January 1st and merge its programming with INHD1. There's also "a good chance" that the singular channel will adopt the name of its current primetime programming block, Mojo. The network is also considering adding additional nights of original programming to the Mojo block. More original HDTV shows, less Tour de Gorge should make everyone happy, we think.[Thanks, Chris]
NBC looks to resurrect Must-See TV with all HD lineup
NBC is shuffling its lineup and to make Thursday a "Must-see TV" night again, it is pairing two of our favorite HD comedies My Name is Earl and The Office, with returning -- and now HDTV-ready -- series Scrubs, and new show 30 Rock. There's also some show called E.R. at 10 p.m. but does anyone really watch that anymore? 30 Rock moves to Thursdays beginning November 16th as it joins with Earl and The Office in super-sized 40-minute episodes, but the block trule comes together on the 30th with the arrival of Scrubs in the 9 p.m. slot. That seems like a pretty powerful lineup to us, but it remains to be seen if easter eggs, emo hipster doctors and a british comedy transplant can bring back memories of the Seinfeld / Friends lineup of yesteryear.[Via TV Squad]
Lost Season 1 hitting Blu-ray next summer?
Lost fansite The Tail Section is reporting that sources from ABCs marketing department have indicated Disney's home video arm, Buena Vista is close to announcing a series of HDTV shows coming to Blu-ray boxed sets next year. ABC's Lost would be the flagship of the lineup and include many extras not available on the already successful DVD release. Unfortunately, if you thought the $79 Smallville Season 5 boxed set was high priced you may want to sit down as the rumor pegs a single season of Lost at $200. Future plans would include releasing shows in in two-episode discs, for $20 each. Lost is still a wildly popular series, but $200 per season is just a bit much, no matter what the extras...but you do want to be able to catch every single detail right?
INHD's Mojo adding Wall Street Warriors October 22nd
INHD's Mojo TV for "adventurous men" is preparing to debut a new show this Sunday, Wall Street Warriors. Since launching this summer, its featured some enjoyable HD shows including the recently added Doctor Danger. The New York Observer has an article on one of the subjects, the kind of guy who has an HDTV in his $4,200 a month downtown NYC apartment -- which surely describes all of us -- and why INHD thinks this type of programming will be a success. Both the lifestyle and the stress of several individuals who make their living off of the ups and downs of the stock market are profiled in 1080i, new episodes air starting this Sunday with repeats on Wednesdays.
HDTV Listings for October 11, 2006
What we're watching: We're still watching Lost, well, some of us anyway, but if you've tired of the island mystery, NBC has a couple new shows to check out on Wednesday night. 30 Rock and Twenty Good Years both make their first appearance tonight, debuting after some fall shows have already been shelved. On Fox is baseball action, with either the National League or American League Championship depending on where you live.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Bay Area's KTVU news goes high-def
San Francisco Bay Area residents can now enjoy the highs and lows of their area's happenings thanks to KTVU's newly launched high-def news service. The feed went live today and the channel expects to produce 38½ hours of HD each week and boy should it be pretty. The station didn't just slap new HD cameras on tripods and call it good, oh no. There is a new set with animated footage in the background, HD graphics package, a new radar display, and even a high-def traffic mapping service, equipped with real time traffic sensors. KTVU joins the elite few stations nationwide to have HD local news but we sure hope that more and more stations are currently upgrading their equipment so we can report to you soon that your local station's news is going HD.
Battlestar Galactica moving to network television? NBC says no
The rumor going around has been that NBC is considering moving Sci-Fi network smash hit Battlestar Galactica to the big leagues. A lot of us here like the series and would love to be able to watch the episodes in HD when they originally air...instead of much later in reruns on Universal HD as is currently the case. Why great high definition programming is left to sit around when there's a huge audience for it is a mystery to us. Unfortunately, NBC told TV Squad there's no merit to the BSG rumors, but we can still hope, right?[Via TV Squad]
HDTV Listings for October 7, 2006
What we're watching: Plenty of HD sports tonight, depending on where you live, it's either Nebraska vs. Iowa State or Oregon vs. Cal on ABC's Saturday Night Football. ESPN & ESPN2-HD have Tennessee vs. Georgia and South Carolina vs. Kentucky on tap, while the Dodgers try to stay alive against the Mets on Fox. If all of that isn't enough, we've got two prime time boxing matchups, with 7-foot tall Russian heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev defending his title against Monte Barrett on HBO as Diego Corrales battles Jose Casamayor for the Lightweight title on Showtime.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for October 6, 2006
What we're watching: The march to the World Series continues as the Yankees visit the Tigers tonight on ESPN-HD, while ESPN2-HD features a monster matchup of Louisville and Middle Tennessee. Universal HD is showing Day of the Jackal...but we're pretty sure most would be happier if it had the season premiere of Battlestar Galactica in high definition instead.Our traditional high definition listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for October 4, 2006
What we're watching: Lost. The big one is back, one of the most popular HD shows of the last two seasons makes it's season debut tonight. TV Squad will be live blogging the episode if the recap episode and music video weren't enough for you. After Lost is the series premiere of The Nine. Something odd happened during a bank robbery turned hostage situation and if the show is anything like Lost, we suspect they'll spend a whole season not telling us what it was. Also returning tonight is hockey, with Sabres at Hurricanes on INHD. Finally, no matter what your program guide says, America's Next Top Model is not in HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for October 2, 2006
What we're watching: No premieres tonight, and nothing HD for ABC. Still, new shows like Heroes, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Runaway should provide something you haven't seen before mixed in with returnees like CSI: Miami and Prison Break. The Green Bay Packers face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, how good of a matchup this is depends on how much you (still) love Brett Fav-ruh.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for October 1, 2006
What we're watching: A bunch of HD premieres tonight, including Discovery HD Atlas, (coming soon to Blu-ray & HD DVD). The 60-hour James Spader narrated series kicks off tonight with an in depth look at China. A little closer to home is The CW's new Sunday night high-def lineup (not including America's Next Top Model, no matter what your program guide says), with Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends and all-new show The Game. Showtime is getting in on the act as well, with their brand new show Dexter, featuring a title character who is a cop..and a killer/dismemberer. If all you want is more of the usual, we've got that too, with Patriots vs. Broncos Seahawks at Bears on NBC Sunday Night Football and Desperate Housewives on ABC.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for September 29, 2006
What we're watching: The latter half of Numb3rs' two-part season opener airs tonight on CBS, along with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer and Close to Home. As the baseball regular season comes to a close the Phillies face the Marlins on ESPN-HD.Our traditional high definition listings continue below.
Canadians getting two new HD shows
Canadians love their HD just as much as us Americans do and we are happy to report to 'em that two of their best comedy's are making the switch to HD. The Mercer Report and Royal Canadian Air Farce are premiering next week on CBC and both of the premiers are going to be in wonderful high-def. We're sure that most Canadians know what these shows are about and we're also sure that most Americans don't, well, care to know what they are about. The Mercer Report debuts on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8pm and the Royal Canadian Air Farce premieres a few days later on Friday, Oct 6 at 8pm both on CBC. Don't forget that you have to be able to receive the high-def signal in order to watch the new high-def flavors of these shows, eh.
HDTV Listings for September 28, 2006
What we're watching: The Office and My Name is Earl of course, although Shark (a.k.a. court-House) gets attention as well. ABC is premiering all-new series Ugly Betty at 8 before Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees. The CW checks in as they kick off new seasons of Smallville and Supernatural. ESPN-HD has SEC football on tap for tonight as Auburn faces South Carolina while ESPN2-HD features the Orioles vs.Yankees.Our traditional high definition listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for September 27, 2006
What we're watching: One Tree Hill kicks off its new season tonight on The CW, however we're a bit confused about its partner, America's Next Top Model. The show has not previously been high-def to our knowledge, but a few sites are indicating it is. The CW's official site hasn't seen fit to provide information like resolution and surround sound information for any of their shows yet so we can't confirm, but we'll list it temporarily. Jericho is also back on CBS along with Kidnapped on NBC, we'll have to wait and see if these new shows last. You can get Doom on Xbox Live tonight or watch it on Cinemax, while Arrested Development continues on HDNet.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Swanni's 2006 'Best & Worst' HDTV list - lets start with the worst
Each year, Philip Swann compiles the best and worst looking celebs in the high-def world. Teri Hatcher was number one last year but thankfully for her sake, Rosie O'Donnell joined The View right when the show made the transition to HD. The Shock Jock himself, Howard Stern, brook his way into the list at number two followed by the still desperate Teri Hatcher and the living proof that money cannot buy beauty after two kids and a dead-beat hubby, Britney Spears. Rosie's fellow cast member Barbara Walters hit number five hard followed by Burt Reynolds at number six and another View host The Today Show host, Meredith Vieira at number seven. The last three on this years list isn't that big of a surprise with Madonna at number eight, Mick Jagger at number nine and Ray Liotta of CBS's new crime drama Smith, holding down the number ten spot.
Oh, Canada: TSN SportsCentre HD launches today
The first HD broadcast of SportsCentre (not SportsCenter) is tonight at 6:30 EST on TSN for our friends up north. They'll finally have a fully HD studio and high-def highlights of games. Anyone who watches ESPN-HD regularly is aware of how much better it is when you can see the highlights of all the games as intended, we're glad our Canadian brethren will get a look at the latest hockey, curling and Ricky Williams clips in HD. They're calling themselves the first fully equipped high definition newsroom in Canada, on October 2nd the Molson That's Hockey daily half-hour show will also launch in HD. ESPN and Discovery led the charge to HD for many stations in the US and we expect a similar result for Canadian television.
