In a media landscape filled with so much “sameness,” it is peculiar when a show succeeds over a similarly themed program. Why do some singing competition shows perform consistently well, while others struggle for good numbers? This season, the divide is apparent. The Voice is hitting series highs and spearheading NBC’s rising success, while The X Factor is hitting […]
Author: fforesta
Frank’s Pop Culture Watch: A Performance Update on TV Teen Shows
It is often hard for new shows to gain traction and build audiences; the effort proves fruitful for some and grim for others. Nothing showcases this hard fact of show business better than this fall’s teen TV shows. Two of the biggest networks for teens are the CW and ABC Family, so I will examine […]
Frank’s Pop Culture Watch: ABC Family Boasts Highest Tuesday Ratings Ever
This past Tuesday, ABC Family broke its own records with their highest Tuesday ratings in the network’s history. Which shows propelled the network to this victory? Pretty Little Liars and the premiere of its spinoff, Ravenswood. PLL and Ravenswood destroyed other teen-targeted shows in their time slots—The Originals and Supernatural on the CW—though both CW […]
Frank’s Pop Culture Watch: Strong Debuts for CW’s The Originals and The Tomorrow People
The CW, the network that spawned such cult hits as The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and Arrow, struck gold again this season with two of their freshman series. Diaries’ spinoff, The Originals, and sci-fi thriller The Tomorrow People have both premiered to strong ratings and favorable reactions from fans. The Originals follows villain-turned-leading man Niklaus Mikaelson […]
LUMEN 2012: A Video and Performance Art Festival
The Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSI) is excited to present the third annual LUMEN festival, a video and performance art festival featuring site-specific projections, new media, installations, and performance art by an international group of over 50 artists. Making use of Staten Island’s under-utilized waterfront, LUMEN will take place on […]
Quidditch Casts a Spell on Macaulay
While racing with broomsticks in between their legs, throwing volleyballs through hula hoops, and trying to grab the player dressed in gold, these students run around like chickens with their heads cut off. An onlooker might wonder what they are doing. They are playing Quidditch, of course. The fictional game that the Harry Potter series […]
