Guest blogger: MARC BERMAN

• Marc Berman is senior editor at Mediaweek, where he writes the Programming Insider column.

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Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007, 6:57 p.m.
   Okay, let me be honest. I’m not exactly a big football fan. In fact, the closest thing to football that I watched this season was NBC drama Friday Night Lights. But that doesn’t mean I won’t check out the Super Bowl, particularly the Half Time show and the advertisements. So, let me begin with Sierra Mist. Ironically, it features comedian Jim Gaffigan, who is also being featured in a 13-episode marathon of his TBS sitcom, My Boys opposite the Super Bowl. I love My Boys -- it’s my favorite current sitcom. But I can’t stand Jim Gaffigan, who I met while he was doing short-lived CBS sitcom Welcome to New York. He was not exactly friendly. So, I didn’t like the Sierra Mist spots. They try to hard to be “cool” and missed the boat on telling me why I shouldl drink the soft drink.
   Why does anyone hire Jim Gaffigan?

7:30 p.m.
   Nice promotional spot for CBS, but it’s funny how the network forgets to tell you than CSI is down about 20 percent year-to-year! And what was the deal with that Coke ad? Terrific graphics, but what does any of it have to do with the soda? CBS, by the way, already asked me not to post the fast national ratings on PIfeedback.com tomorrow because they won’t be accurate.  But, needless to say, THe Super Bowl is the one -- and only -- show that will rate higher than Fox’s American Idol.

7:42 p.m.
   It’s interesting how everyone gathers around the TV to watch The Super Bowl (and, I must say, my 52“ TV sure looks damn good in that expanded family room!). But have you ever noticed that no TV show historically that was themed around sports was ever successful? Other than NBC’s Friday Night Lights, how many of these shows do you remember?

Against the Grain
The Bad News Bears
Ball Four
Bay City Blues
A League of Their Own
The White Shadow

8:12 p.m.
   Gag me!  Mr. Egonaniac, Dr. Phil, will be on David Letterman tomorrow.  The first -- and last -- time I ever tried to interview him for Mediaweek, he would only do it if we guaranteed him the cover!  Yet, at the Press Tour before his show began I received an autographed copy of his book with a note that said he was always available if I needed him.  Then, those high ratings came in!
   But, that Coke ad before the Letterman celebrating Black History was commendable -- a nice walk down memory lane.

8:26 p.m.
   There goes the glasses! I think a couple of my glasses broke when Prince hit the high notes! But, that spot for the new breakfast sandwich from Duncan Donuts looked damn good. Looks like I’ll have to sample it.
   Prince...no. You can’t do “Proud Mary.” That’s my girl, Tina Turner’s, song.
   Great spot for CBS’ Criminal Minds. Last year I predicted to CBS’ head of scheduling, Kelly Kahl, that Criminal Minds would top ABC’s competing Lost in total viewers by 2007. He didn’t agree. So, Kelly, I hate to say I told you so! Lost, by the way, returns this Wednesday in its new time period, 10 p.m.

8:47 p.m.
   That was quite a twist profiling Sheryl Crow on a Revlon ad. Very effective, I think. And am I the only one who is still amazed that late night host Craig Ferguson was on The Drew Carey Show?
   Boy...it is raining on the field.  Has not let up at all.

9:57 p.m.
   I just overheard my older daughter (she’s 15) say to my 12 year-old son, “the ads on The Super Bowl really suck.” And, sadly, that pretty much expresses my sentiments. The careerbuilder.com spot was clever, and Coke was...well...unusual, but nothing stands out as creative or worth remembering. And since my moniker is “Mr. TV,” I have some advice for CBS and its promos for The Amazing Race and Survivor: air only one edition of each aging reality/competition next season. They are starting to burn-out.
   That’s a wrap...I’m off to slumber land. Gotta get up at the crack of dawn to write tomorrow’s Programming Insider. Sweet TV dreams to all!

February 4, 2007 | Permalink