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Andy Cohen’s “The Andy Cohen” Diaries- Review

“Andy Cohen’s Got The 411” couldn’t be truer in this novel

I for one am a self confessed Bravo addict. I don’t know when the addiction began, but it is real and true. Part of that addiction is the man at the helm of this article, Andy Cohen. Andy, who only a mere couple of years ago was only known for being a producer of content for Bravo TV, emerged as a contender in late night programming with the wildly successful “Watch What Happens Live”. He has also been the host for the riveting “Real Housewives” reunions, as well as developing some of our TV mainstays such as “Top Chef” and “The Millionaire Matchmaker” to name a few (not on this list- “NYC Prep”. Yikes Andy Cohen. Bloop). With all the success that Andy Cohen has had over the past couple of years, both on and off camera, he has taken his crazy life stories and written about it in two books. The first one was released earlier this year, titled “Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture”, which chronicled how he got to where he is now. He recently released his second book titled “The Andy Cohen Diaries” which gives us a day to day visit into his life and the totally exciting chaos that ensues on a daily basis. As much fun as the first book was to read, I was totally excited to read “The Andy Cohen Diaries” as it would give me a better glimpse into someone who I view as a bit of a hero when it comes to making yourself in this world. I got that, and so much more.

There are a lot of facets that I love about Andy Cohen just from reading this book. There are times while reading it where I genuinely get a Kathy Griffin vibe from him, meaning that he is really the celebrity for the people and that he is just one of us. What I mean by that is when he details his nights at “Watch What Happens Live” & when a big celebrity appears, he wants to make sure that everything goes well in order to make sure the night runs smoothly (See: Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, even Shaq). It comes off as a mixture of wanting to be a good host yet also wanting to make sure that the audience watching at home and in the studio is having a good time, which comes across as genuine and that he really cares. There is even a part in the book where he worries about becoming a self obsessed narcissist as he has heard that it is near impossible for other late night hosts not to get that way. Very interesting.

The book sometimes really does read like Andy Cohen is the gay male version of Carrie Bradshaw, most notably noticed by Sarah Jessica Parker herself as written on the back of the book. From reading this book it seems like Andy leads quite the glamorous life, with hosting fantastic events, attending some of the best bars and clubs that New York City amongst other cities has to offer, and hanging around some huge A-listers as a genuine friend to (Kelly Ripa, Anderson Cooper, etc). Something that I love about these parts of the books are the normal people that he meets along the way, such as “Baby Jane Flight Attendant” on his trips to LA and his “future husband” that he meets on at trip that coincidentally lives in the same building as him. His also honest take on how New York City has become completely commercial is a huge breath of fresh air, especially when it is something many New Yorkers like myself have been noticing for years. So when he brings up the greedy landlords that keep closing some of the best restaurants in New York City down due to price hikes to make way for yet ANOTHER Duane Reade or TD Bank, it is just another reminder of why NYC is not what it used to be. Kudos to Andy Cohen for bringing that up.

It to me is so funny that the theme song to “Watch What Happens Live” starts with “Andy Cohen’s got the 411”, which couldn’t ring truer in this novel. The 411 meaning the biggest name dropper of 2014. There are so many names that Andy discusses in this book, both inside and outside of the housewives realm. Something that I wish he could’ve been a little more open on are the housewives that got fired and he omitted their names while discussing. That would’ve made this book even more salacious as a lot of us would love to know his true opinions on the Housewives, although he seems to play favorites (Nene, Brandi, etc). That being said, some of the highlights for name dropping is his cavorts at “The View”, most particularly his epic visit when Barbara Walters read him the house down for his assumption that her generation didn’t understand “American Hustle”. Yikes. Of all the name droppings in the book (Gaga’s was a hoot) the one that I genuinely liked the most was his honest description about Miss Britney Spears. I grew up loving that girl so much that I was voted Most Obsessed in my 8th Grade Yearbook. So when he talks about meeting her in Vegas, and pretty much detailing his honest thoughts about her (get the book, its good) it brings us a much more candid version of who Britney really is on a day to day basis, and that is was a real person’s experience and not a tabloids. Fascinating stuff.

The best parts of this book are two things- Wacha and his parents. Wacha, the rescue dog that he adopted from a kill shelter in West Virginia, is a pivotal point in this book as he appears throughout. From Andy’s lack of committing to anything including a dog, it really was fun to see the growth that he experiences with Wacha from the first time he meets him to the bond he develops with the dog to this present day. It really is heartwarming and as a dog lover myself can empathize about the daily struggles of having a dog but loving it unconditionally as they love you that way. Then of course there are his parents. I truly believe if Andy gave them their own reality show it would be a hit, as they are both hilarious in their own nutty ways. Evelyn’s (mom) texts to Andy about a myriad of things runs similar to how Kathy Griffin describes the brutal honesty that her mother Maggie bestows about her on a daily basis. It is part caring, part keeping it real, and part hilarity all wrapped up in one, and something you will see quite often as you read the book.

Overall, I think Andy Cohen is like Charlie Brown meets Andy Warhol. Just a normal guy from St. Louis who happened on this incredible life and stories for the masses to read, just like Andy Warhol did with his book back in the 80’s I would highly recommend anyone getting this as you will find some sort of relatability throughout. For more information on all things Andy Cohen, log on to his site.

Goldstar: Making Events More “App”ealing

by Ryan Leeds

Do you have friends and acquaintances who sit in their apartments, complain that they are always broke, and announce that there is nothing to do? Now you can resist the urge to smack them in the head and send them back to their native mid-America state by informing them about Goldstar’s brand new Android App. Wait! What is Goldstar? Thank you for asking! Goldstar is both a free website and app which provides listings of shows, concerts, events, dinner cruises, theater and tons of other fun stuff to do in the city–at a fraction of what you’d pay for the full price ticket. Since 2002 this California based company has connected with over 5,000 venues in cities across the United States. Recently, they’ve rolled out in Pittsburgh, PA, Detroit, MI, and are making plans to engage in more medium sized markets.

Goldstar CEO Jim McCarthy recognized the demand from customers to make usage more mobile. As of September 2014, 63% of its’ users were accessing the services on either smartphones or tablets. With the launch of this Android App, McCarthy and his team are making access even more effortless. “Now, Goldstar is there when people think about what they want to do,” he said. It should be noted, however, that the app is not strictly limited to Android. It can work across all other devices as well. Sorry, Gramps…this does not mean your rotary phone!

The new app features include an even wider array of events, reviews from other members who have already attended the event, and a new “sit with friends” option. This means that your friends can buy tickets individually, but you can still sit together. This way, you won’t get stiffed by cheapskate companions who either don’t show up or won’t pay you back. As always, deals are available almost up to the last minute and entry tickets will be sent immediately to your device. Unless the deal is sold out, in which case, you probably should’ve planned better.

Download the app now, sign up for deals and emails, and enjoy a city which is abundant with non-stop activity–at discounted prices. If your buddies continue to mope around like Eeyore, find new friends!

To download the Android app, click https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goldstar. On other devices, simply locate “Goldstar” and download.

For more information about Goldstar, visit http://www.goldstar.com

For more information about sitting at home doing nothing, I can’t help you.

Why Magnolia Bakery Is Worth The Hype & Deliciousness

by Ryan Shea

The cupcake to the New Yorker is quintessential to a whiny woman in a Woody Allen film. It just makes everything that much better. Seeing as there is a bevy of locations in New York City where you can divulge in your favorite type of cupcake, there is one place that many locals and visitors deem as the creme de la creme of the cupcake shops here. This of course, is Magnolia Bakery which has several different locations throughout the New York City area.

I became aware of Magnolia Bakery years ago due to my love of the HBO hit show and two time movie “Sex And The City” in which Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie visits the original Bleecker Street location in one of the episodes. I didn’t visit, however, until a friend of mine surprised me on my birthday five or six years back and took me to their location in the Upper West Side. The bakery itself had a warm and friendly vibe as well on top of the lovely people working there. Then of course, there was the taste of what they were preparing for everyone. All of it was delicious, from the decadent red velvet cupcakes to the world famous and insanely delicious Banana Pudding, Magnolia Bakery stepped up to the plate when it came to delicious treats designed for the masses.

Magnolia Bakery, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Magnolia Bakery

I recently sat down with one of their fantastic and fabulous PR & Marketing Manager Riana Zimmerman to talk about Magnolia Bakery’s rise in the food world in general, from its one location to now internationally known brand. Take a look.

So how did the world famous Magnolia Bakery start?

So we started in 1996 at the Bleecker Street location in the West Village. It was a local bakery known for cupcakes and a bunch of other yummy desserts. And then “Sex And The City” mentioned it on one of their episodes and Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) ate one of our vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting. After that happened, it brought an insane amount of crazy lines to the Bleecker Street location and started the whole “cupcake craze”. Steve Abrams, who is our current CEO, bought the brand in 2007 and expanded it further in New York City while opening up locations in Chicago & Los Angeles and now we are franchising internationally. So the supposed “Cupcake Craze” that Magnolia Bakery started is taking over the world.

I, just like a lot of people, became knowledgeable of Magnolia Bakery through “Sex And The City”. What was the process in getting a huge show and star like Sarah Jessica Parker to visit and film at the original location?

I’m not entirely sure! This was just a local bakery that may have been on the show’s radar, or maybe it was on someone’s recommendation list. I just know that it completely changed the Magnolia Bakery brand once the episode aired.

To the people that live in the New York City area, they view Magnolia Bakery as licorice. Meaning you either love it or hate it, but the haters don’t hate the actual products but see it more as a tourist trap. What would you say to those people in order for them to overlook the droves of people and just enjoy what Magnolia has to offer?

Everybody has their own personal taste of course, but I don’t think it is a tourist trap. We are at the Upper West Side location right now, very local to the neighborhood and as you can tell it has a pretty normal crowd as does the Bleecker street location. I think the one that they are referring to is the one in Rockefeller Center, however I don’t think it’s a tourist trap. The fuss is for a reason, and I think we have great cupcakes and a full menu of 100 other desserts and customizable cakes and whatnot.

Now I have my personal favorite at Magnolia Bakery (Red Velvet Of Course!), but what would some of yours be?

I personally love our Banana cupcake with chocolate frosting. The icing is so rich and delicious that it really works well with the cupcake itself.

There was a lot of hoopla over the summer about the supposed “Cupcake Craze” being over as a big cupcake chain filed for bankruptcy. What are your thoughts on the craze in general?

I think there are places that do specialize in one off products like cupcakes. Luckily for us we are known for our cupcakes but we also have a ton of other desserts. Our Magnolia Bakery customers do buy a lot of cupcakes however they do also purchase a ton of our other products so it really is the best of both world when you come here. A cupcake is a perfect size portion for a snack during lunch or after you finish your dinner with friends, as opposed to a large slice of cake. It really has shown by how well all of our stores are doing with all of our products, so I don’t agree with it being a craze.

What big celebrities have you seen come into any of your locations?

So I actually saw Donatella Versace at our Bleecker Street location which was very exciting. Zoe Saldana was at our Los Angeles store which has been all over the news as she is pregnant and has visited us a couple of times due to her craving of cupcakes. Michelle Obama actually sent some of her secret service agents for our cupcakes while she was visiting in New York even!

The location size of Magnolia Bakery is growing each year, however do you think you’ll open up anymore in its hometown of New York City?

We aren’t focused on expanding domestically right now as we are focused on expanding internationally however down the line we are looking into opening up other locations.

What would you recommend for a first timer at Magnolia Bakery in trying?

Maybe you are going to think I have a love affair with chocolate but it’s OK if you do because it’s true and it’s real. A chocolate piece of cake with chocolate icing is so good. Of course, the world famous banana pudding. To top it off I would recommend our pumpkin cheesecake & pumpkin spice whoopie pies is essential to now as it is available throughout the fall.

Does Magnolia Bakery do deliveries?

We do! We have an online store which delivers all throughout the United States with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii. You can order anything from cupcakes, cookies and bars so I definitely recommend if you aren’t local to a Magnolia Bakery you check out the online store to try something out!

What are you ultimately hopeful for the Magnolia Bakery brand and beyond?

We would love to see our international franchises succeed of course! We are excited about our growth, in fact we had a meeting recently to discuss 2015 and see what new items we can bring to you, your readers and the masses! Stay tuned!

Want to know more about Magnolia Bakery? Log on to their official website for locations, product information and more!

Tag Me A Date: Wrestling Meets Online Dating

by Ryan Shea

No longer do we live in a world where a common expression you hear is “We met at a bar”, when you find out how a couple got together. For gay and straight people, in and out of Manhattan, the new normal happens to be online dating. Whether you are online looking for companionship, friendship or just a one night stand, something that you hope for in the person you are talking to is to find something of interest that can spark a conversation and gets things going. But what happens when there is a website where everyone on it has one common interest?

Bring in Tagmeadate.com, a website devoted to finding people love who have a fascination and admiration for professional wrestling. Seeing as the WWE has been popular for decades upon decades, more recently with the wildly popular E! series “Total Divas”, it makes sense that something of this nature would come along. But even with how popular this type of sport has been, can it really find an audience when it comes to online dating? Manhattan Digest sits down with CEO and founder Steven Glenwick to find that out.

So how did you come up with the name Tag Me A Date?

I have been a wrestling fan my entire life. Wrestling fans are a cult-like bunch, if you will. My last girlfriend, now my wife; when we first met, I needed to find out if she was a fan of professional wrestling. It is such a huge part of my life and I wanted to be able to share that with someone. When I did ask her about wrestling she rattled off the entire roster and that’s when I knew I would marry this woman. Fast forward four years and we are married with two children. I came up with the concept of a dating site for wrestling fans but it was my Director of Operations Christopher Witcher that came up with the tag line, which is: “Wrestling night just became date night!” It instantly clicked! We needed a name and tag line that jumps out and states what it is but also targets a specific market.

Overall, what is the concept of this site?

The basic concept of this site is to connect people that share a similar passion of professional wrestling. I, along with the rest of my employees, have been life-long wrestling fans. This is our main passion and we are quite proud of that! I’ve been fortunate enough to meet the woman that would later be my wife, and learn on the first date that she was a wrestling fan. I want the same thing for all single wrestling fans. How great would it be to find someone that shares that very same passion?

Do you think there is enough of a niche audience to combine the love of professional wrestling with actual love?

Professional wrestling is a multi-billion dollar industry with millions upon millions of fans. We feel this is something wrestling fans have been waiting for, for a long time. One of the most featured questions concerning this idea is; “How come this has not been done before?” That is music to my ears as I contemplated that very question as I came to the very notion of doing a dating site for wrestling fans. Wrestling fans are a very loyal bunch and we want to show an appreciation for every one of them. Wrestling fans are people at the end of the day and many people want to find their significant other.

What current male and female pro wrestler do you think your users would most like to take on a date and why?

As far as what current male wrestler users would want to take on a date, I would say the answer may be John Cena. However, lately it seems that Roman Reigns has caught many eyes. As far as current female wrestlers, I would have to go with AJ Lee. She is the definition of what a diva should be but she is also very relatable, and of course cute as a button.

Same question only least likely now. Hehe.

The least likely male wrestler our users would want to take on a date might be a harder question. I’d have to put The Wyatt family right up there. However, based on the out-pouring of fans about the end of the Undertaker’s streak, including me, I might have to go with Brock Lesnar. The least likely female wrestler our users would want to take on a date would probably be Summer Rae, because she really doesn’t come off very likeable.

Dating sites usually have a ton of Q&A’s given so that users can describe themselves in a unique way. What are yours?

What makes our site different from the rest is that it mostly centers on wrestling-related questions. Our Q&A is much shorter and to the point and removed are many questions we feel are redundant, petty, and downright too personal that many other sites do. Our site will allow people to find matches based on questions such as favorite wrestler, favorite manager, and favorite tag team. We also provide space for users to talk about what drove them to wrestling and to discuss the experiences of any live events they may have been to. Also, we found that many other sites have questionnaires that run way too long and we want to cut out unnecessary questions and get down to it. You don’t want to feel like you’ve written your College thesis by the time you’re done.

Is your site gay friendly or is it just for straight people?

Our site does not discriminate in any way. We offer people the ability to find people, whether they are the opposite sex or the same sex. Our goal is to make sure wrestling fans find their tag team soul mates and get to share their passion for wrestling with another. Fans’ happiness is much more important than worrying about one’s sexual orientation.

Other sites like match.com are offering in person experiences for their users such as cooking classes, bowling matches, etc. Does your website plan on doing the same?

Great question…This is so new so the best way to answer this question would be this. I without question want to hold social gatherings to help people meet. That is the whole goal of this site. I want wrestling fans to find wrestling fans through love. I want TagMeADate to be so big that I can hold events where people meet and watch a pay-per-view event and such. Time will tell. We need the support of all the single wrestling fans out there. If and when we become a success, there is nothing off the table! As they say in the wrestling world…“never say never”

What are you hoping the users get the most out of on this site?

As I mentioned earlier, our main goal is to help wrestling fans meet other wrestling fans that they can connect with on an emotional level, leading to relationships. The ultimate goal of any dating site is, or at least should be, that very notion. Many sites tout the success rate of their users when it comes to relationships and we plan on doing the same. We are definitely the most innovative, dynamic, and revolutionary dating site out there.

Being that this is still a new site what are you hopeful for as it continues to blossom?

Right now we just want to get the word out there. Our statistics show that there are many single wrestling fans out there, both male and female. Wrestling fans, like people in general, deserve to find happiness. Meeting someone else who shares that very same passion for wrestling is every single wrestling fans’ dream. We are offering people that very platform and are extremely proud of that.

Any specials you have for new users who sign up this month?

Currently we have extended our pre- registration, which now ends on October 14^th. If you sign up before then, we will give you the first three months free. Because we are launching live on the 14^th, we will provide the service free until Feb 1^st.

Every customer that signs up after October 14^th, we will still be providing them the first month free as well.

We ask all our fans to keep an ear out because you never know when another promotion will pop up. We will have a mailing list option on the web site. Everyone should opt in to get emails. If a new promotion is coming that’s where you will find out about it first.

Big Brother’s 10 Best Players Of All Time

by Ryan Shea

Big Brother 16 concluded last night with front runner Derrick Levasseur easily beating fellow “Hitmen” alliance member Cody Califoire 7-2 last night, only losing votes from waste of a houseguest JaCosta and America’s Favorite Houseguest and hopefully new Soap Opera Stud Donny. This season was highly different from last regarding minimal controversy from the players inside the house (besides the insanely arrogant and over the top Frankie, who is only getting this sentence in this article as his ego is already blown up as is) yet was criticized for it not being a very good season strategically. The game drastically changed this year with its “Battle Of The Block” format and having four houseguests go up each time which made the game that much more interesting, yet became very bland and boring when it was the same people getting wittled away each week and there never really being a power struggle in the house that didn’t favor The Bomb Squad. That being said, Derrick has been credited with the likes of Dan Gheesling and Will Kirby as one of the best players of all time for his efforts this summer, which leads me to the purpose of this article.

Big Brother has had sixteen seasons and over 100 houseguests all vying for one thing- to win the $500,000 dollar prize and be the last one to leave the house. Question is, who are the best players to ever play this game? Not everyone who has played this game the best has actually won. Heck, there are even people who didn’t even make it into the top 2 who have played remarkably. Some BB winners have made it to the end based off of luck/other people getting them there (Jordan, Maggie, Andy) and others have relied on brain power and will power to get them to the winners circle (Will, Jun, Ian, Rachel). Overall though, who has played the best games in BB history? Take a look at who I think were the best, from 10-1.

Jun Song, Big Brother, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Gold Derby

10- Jun Song- BB4 (Winner)

Some may find this choice to be a bit controversial as there was quite the public disdain for Jun and runner up Allison Irwin this season, as well as the other bitter houseguests who felt forced to vote and congratulate them. I however, think the opposite. BB4 was really the first season that I got into back in 2003, and knew pretty much from day one that Jun was going to win. How? Jun pretty much did a phenomenal job explaining herself when the jury of 7 interrogated her in the final episode. A floater yes, but she knew that ultimately she relied on herself to get to the end. She knew exactly when to ditch a particular group and rely on the one person that was vilified more than anyone else in the house, Alison, to do her dirty work. She also played her ex Je very well in the game and when the time came to get rid of him she made the first move upon her first HOH win. Smart, savvy and aware of her surroundings, Jun really did play the most intelligent game of BB4, even using something like cooking as a way to interact with the houseguests and see what kind of habits they have to determine what kind of person they are like. Brilliant.

Janelle Pierzina, Big Brother, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Wikia

9- Janelle Pierzina- BB6 (3rd Place), BB7 (3rd Place), BB14 (Who cares)

I love Janelle. Janelle is to Big Brother what Peanut Butter is to Jelly. She is a legend for so many different reasons and in my opinion paved the way for future women in the game like Rachel Reilly & Danielle Donato to name a few. If I’m honest though, her shining season was BB6 as BB7 I felt the network carried her through the entire time as she generated a larger audience and BB14 she really wasn’t playing at all. BB6 Janelle was an absolute beast and is part of the reason why the Big Brother houseguests are a lot more blunt and honest with each other as opposed to earlier seasons where things were a bit more sullen and quiet. She really was a fighter in her season against quite possibly the most hated alliance in Big Brother History (The Friendship) and made it to the final 3 by consistently winning competitions and intentionally pitting the other side against each other, like the infamous April vs. Ivette fight. Had Ivette done the right thing and brought Janelle to the end, Ivette would’ve probably still won but Janelle to millions of her fans will always be known as one of the best for her amazing ability.

Derrick Levasseur, Manhattan Digest, Big Brother — Credit to: fansofrealitytv.com

8- Derrick LeVasseur- BB16 (Winner)

The most recent winner and quite impressive if I must say so myself. Being touted as the new Dan/Dr. Will, Derrick played a pretty much flawless game by always staying in the background of the drama and never making himself a target throughout his 3 month stay inside the Big Brother house. He allowed other hot headed people like Frankie, Beast Mode, and Devin for example make hot messes out of themselves and huge targets while he laid pretty with his “Robin” Cody and watch everyone implode, leading him to victory. Whereas Dan and Will in previous seasons got themselves into some pretty hot water with a lot of the houseguests, that didn’t seem to be the case for Derrick. Him winning against Cody, who if Cody took dumb dumb Victoria to the end would’ve won the damn thing, was easy as it didn’t take much convincing for the jury to hand him the $500K prize. Would love to see him come back one summer if they ever do All Stars again to see how he would pair up with other greats in a season that didn’t have many outstanding HG’s.

Rachel Reilly, Manhattan Digest, Big Brother — Credit to: Cartermatt.com

7- Rachel Reilly- BB12 (9th Place) BB13 (Winner)

Rachel Reilly is pretty much like Licorice. You either love it or hate it. Rachel is one of the most polarizing cast members the show has ever had, and really made her mark in both seasons. A threat from the get go in season 12, Rachel’s bold and brash personality pretty much clashed with everyone in the house minus her boo and showmance at the time Brendan. After being blindsided in her season 12 eviction, Rachel came back with a vengeance in Season 13 with her partner Brendan. With Brendan evicted not only once but twice, Rachel really showed what kind of an all star that she came to be by playing the game fantastically by herself for the first time in a season and a half. She battled bitter enemy Danielle and made it past some pretty strong newbies in Kalia and Adam and won the game 4-3 against the basic Porsche (sorry girl, weak candidate for F2). Rachel was gutsy, admirable and smart and proved not only once but twice why she is one of the best to ever play this game.

Nakomis Dedmon, Big Brother, Manhattan Digest — Credit to: Wikia

6- Nakomis Dedmon- BB5 (4th Place) BB7 (13th Place)

A random choice per se, but Nakomis should’ve been the winner of BB5 over the people who came after her- Diane who lost the game due to her fascination with a pretty boy, Cowboy (Michael) who used his family the entire game to get to where he is, and Drew who really just used Diane to get to the end without really having to do much. Nakomis was the smartest person in BB5, and took avoiding eviction in week one and storming all the way to the final four pretty much unscathed. Just like Jun, she really just relied on herself and not the benefits of a big group (The Four Horseman) or a love connection (Diane/Drew) to get where she is. Her unique look and personality originally scared people off but once a good core group of people got to know her (Will, Adria, Natalie, Karen) they viewed her as the leader which ultimately got them past a ton of other players. Also she came up with the brilliant “Six Finger Plan” to get rid of her biggest nemesis in the game that season, Jase, something that is still viewed as one of the best game moves in BB history. Smart.

James Rhine, Manhattan Digest, Big Brother — Credit to: Wikia

5- James Rhine- BB6 (Seventh Place) BB7 (Seventh Place)

If Caleb from this season of Big Brother wants to call himself “Beast Mode” he should really go back about 10 years to see who really was the first person to perfect what it meant to be a beast in the house. With the Power Of Veto still being somewhat of a new thing on BB at that point, James took the opportunity to win it 5 times in his season, setting a record at that point for veto wins from one houseguest. His back was against the wall every week, due to his physical ability in challenges but also his master manipulation to go in between both alliances and do it spectacularly yet very obvious at the same time. Some may blame James for the downfall of his alliance due to how sneaky he is, however he is one of the reasons why Big Brother 6 was such a remarkable season, and why he was no doubt a shoo in for the All Stars the following summer.

Ian Terry, Manhattan Digest, Big Brother — Credit to: Wikia

4- Ian Terry- BB14 (Winner)

Oh Ian, the little engine that could. When I saw the cast for Big Brother 14, I would’ve never guessed that the Tulane chem student would’ve even come close to being the winner, let alone beat who some consider as the greatest Big Brother player of all time (more of that later). Ian’s presence in the beginning of the game was quiet for the most part, only getting highlights for his social awkwardness and crush on fellow houseguest Ashley. It wasn’t until his masterminded the amazing plan to get out another Big Brother legend- Mike Boogie (Season 2 & Season 7 All Stars Winner) where Ian really started to shine and become one of the biggest players of the season. Being one of the biggest members of The Quack Pack, he sealed the deal for many of his arch rivals including juiced up Ronald McDonald Frank. He famously battled Dan in the final 2 and held his ground, easily beating him mainly due to a mixture of a bitter jury and seeing Ian for what an amazing player that he is. Would love to have another All Stars season with Dan and Ian in it. Maybe next summer? Who knows.

Manhattan Digest, Will Kirby, Big Brother — Credit to: Wikia

3. Will Kirby- Season 2 (Winner) Season 7 (Fourth Place)

People are gonna be freaking floored that I put Will this low, however I have my reasons. Yes Will did it first, and some say did it best. Having no Power of Veto, once you were on the block- that was it. You weren’t getting taken off unless you chose to eject yourself, so that aspect made it that much harder to keep yourself in the game. Will convinced everyone in that game that if you take him to the end, you will win. Could he have done it against Monica, Hardy or Bunky (3rd, 4th and 5th place)? Not sure. But Nicole was an easy win due to the amount of enemies she had on that jury and the convincing voices of Mike Boogie and Shannon to name a few. Winning 6-3 in the end, Will played practically a flawless game minus his multiple nominations and over the top behavior inside the house. Had it not been for Janelle listening to Erika’s loud mouth in Big Brother 7, he could’ve won All Stars the same way he won BB2. Let’s hope we haven’t really seen the last of Will Kirby on BIg Brother.

Danielle Reyes, Manhattan Digest, Big Brother — Credit to: Wikia

2. Danielle Reyes- Season 3 (2nd Place) Season 7 (6th Place)

I hands down am a firm believer that Danielle Reyes changed the way that Big Brother has been played for the past 11 seasons. Why? Because she was so damn good in her season they had to start using a jury/sequester house so the houseguests didn’t know everything and anything that is going on. I also believe that she is the best player to have NEVER won this game (Even Will Kirby uttered that). Danielle ruled season 3 with an iron fist, and really used one of the best strategies to have ever been used in this game- the reliance of one other person and herself. It is how Jun won, it is how Evil Dick won season 8, Dan won against Memphis and countless other victories in this game called Big Brother. Danielle brilliantly strategized taking down each alliance in the game- the original 6, the cartel, the boys vs. the girls, Eric/Lisa, Roddy/Chiara, then knocking out Marcellas when she had the shot and Amy to get to the final 3. Who was the person in her way? Lisa. Danielle’s biggest mistake was not winning the final HOH nor Jason, yet the problem with BB3 was that all the houseguests got to go home to their families and friends and see all the diabolical things that Danielle was doing and saying, resulting in the most bitter jury this show has ever seen. Lisa won 10-1, which many see as completely unfair as she practically got a free ride to the end based off of other people’s game. Danielle played the game flawlessly and should’ve won it fair and square. Just like Will in All Stars, she also fell to the annoyance and presence of Erika, but that season had its fair share of problems from the get. Danielle has said on her Twitter in recent years that she would never play the game again, but I dream of a day where she re-enters the game and wins something that should’ve happened twice before.

1- Dan Gheesling- Season 10 (Winner) Season 14 (2nd Place)

I don’t think there needs to be much said here to describe really why Dan is the best player in Big Brother history. Easily making his way in Season 10 to victory by making his wingman Memphis do all his dirty work while he worked behind the scenes? Done. Coming back into the game as a coach in BB14 and commanding the strongest alliance that season? Sold. PERFORMING YOUR OWN FREAKING FUNERAL ONLY TO RISE FROM THE DEAD AND GET VETOED OFF THE BLOCK? Yup. Dan is a fucking baller, and would’ve beat anyone in the final 2 if it wasn’t for Ian. If Julie Chen, whom I love, ever decides to really leave BB, I think he would make a fantastic replacement host as he is the savviest, smartest and most intelligent player this show has ever seen or will see. All Stars for a third try? We can only hope!

Agree or Disagree? SOUND OFF!

Comedy Legend Joan Rivers Passes Away At 81

by Ryan Shea

“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers,” Melissa Rivers said in a written statement today. “She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother,” Melissa Rivers just released in a statement. Joan Rivers, the dynamic, brilliant, bold and fearless comedian passed away today at 1:17 PM eastern time at the age of 81.

Per ABC News– Joan Rivers, who co-hosted the popular E! TV show “Fashion Police,” had been hard at work recently, critiquing the outfits worn by stars at the MTV Video Music Awards and the Emmys with her usual acerbic wit. On Aug. 28, however, she was in New York City having surgery when she suffered cardiac arrest. She was rushed to the hospital, where she arrived unconscious and doctors kept her sedated. On Sept. 2, her daughter, Melissa Rivers, revealed that she had been placed on life support.

“My mother has been moved out of intensive care and into a private room where she is being kept comfortable,” she added in a statement the next day. “Thank you for your continued support.”

In the past couple of days things have been mum as to an update on her condition since Melissa’s update on the 2nd, however word broke around 3PM on televisions and the internet regarding her sudden passing. It is crazy to believe from my point of view that literally a week ago I was watching Joan crack joke after joke on her wildly successful and hilarious show “Fashion Police” on E! which she cohosts with Giuliana Rancic, Kelly Osbourne and George Kotsiopolous.

Joan Rivers follows the sudden passing of comedian Robin Williams who tragically took his own life last month. Hard to believe that we lost two comedy icons in such a short time for two completely different reasons, but nonetheless it is heartbreaking to millions of fans who adored both of them, one being me. Regardless of what people thought about her regarding her plastic surgery, her very extreme views on weight, appearance, politics and whatnot, you can’t deny that Joan paved the way for many female AND male comics today who use shock value to get an audience. I applaud Joan for saying what we are all thinking, and not giving a flying fuck what people say about her. We wouldn’t have a Kathy Griffin if we didn’t have Joan, and I know tons of people in the LGBT community are saddened by her death, being the gay icon that she is and her supports for the various AIDS charities that she championed for a ton of years (in particular “God’s Love We Deliver”. Check out the site here).

Love you Joan.

The Short Form: The 66th Emmy Awards

by Michael Tyminski

The Short Form: The 66th Emmy Awards

Seth’s Hosting Job: I think Seth did a great job at keeping the proceedings going, but at times the show hit a very late night vibe with minimal grandiosity. This may be in part because his monologue was so brief and he was introduced with minimal fanfare (there wasn’t much of an opening credit sequence that you tend to see in awards shows), but what should be considered one of the big four awards shows almost seemed infinitely smaller than it should have. His monologue was not only short but seemed to fall fairly flat with the crowd, which was unfortunate because it was actually very funny, but the crowd seemed to appreciate the jokes more as the night went on.

The Show Itself: This show seemed to completely lack luster from well before the show even began (as one can expect from a show that scared off of a Sunday for the friggin VMA’s). Normally from awards shows we expect a pompous overblown affair with tons of glad-handing, self-aggrandizing, multiple sets and set changes and **shiver** overwrought musical numbers, however we got a bare minimum of those tonight. The one area the show completely dominated over the prior edition however, was in it’s memoriam segment, while last year we got six funeral dirges, this year we got one simple, classy, memoriam with Billy Crystal providing the best awards show eulogy for a man I’ve ever seen in his speech about Robin Williams.

It was a surprisingly good night to be CBS (or Modern Family): If last year was the story of cable and Netflix burying those last shovels of dirt on the big four, then this year would be about the big four making the most of their nominations. CBS picked up three Emmys on three different shows (Allison Janney for Mom, Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory and Juliana Margulies for The Good Wife). Modern Family also picked up a trio of Emmys for Best Supporting Actor, Best Directing and Best Comedy Series, meaning that yes, those pesky broadcast networks managed to pick up all but two of the major comedy awards tonight.

Breaking Bad Gets A Stunning Victory Lap: Up until the 10pm hour, the story of this night seemed to be parity. The comedy category split awards between five different shows (Modern Family, Louie, Veep, Mom and The Big Bang Theory), The miniseries hour saw similar division. However, once 10 pm hit, it was win after win after win for the last half-season of Breaking Bad. The final list included Best Supporting Actor (Aaron Paul), Best Supporting Actress (Anna Gunn), Writing (Moira Walley-Beckett for Ozymandias), Best Actor in a Drama (Bryan Cranston), and Best Drama Series.

On the Red Carpet Front: The story of this night on the red carpets is most definitely the color red. You could find red dresses anywhere on the red carpet, from Heidi Klum to E! Host Giuliana Rancic to Julia-Louis Dreyfuss and Christina Hendricks. While red is typically a very bold choice, the color seemed to work equally well on everyone wearing it even as the cuts varied wildly.

In terms of winners and losers, this is a night with way more winners than losers, especially on the comedy side. In addition to the red dress brigade, I was a big fan of Sofia Vergara’s white and gold combo, Sarah Silverman’s jade green dress, and . I think the big winner of the night was Laverne Cox who shone through the sea of champagne and red with an amazing and downright sexy white dress.

What didn’t work on the red carpet? I wasn’t a fan of Lena Dunham’s light pink look. While Dunham typically goes for something a little more anti-fashion as a rule, the dress, her skin, and her hair somehow managed to clash horrendously. Similarly Hayden Pannettiere’s decision to combine a deep plunging neckline and a third trimester baby bump just did not work for me. But for me, the biggest loser of the night was clearly E!’s clutch cam, which didn’t provide either the scandal, entertainment value or buzz (seriously people, it’s a bag – I may watch red carpet but I draw the line at accessories).

The Night In Speeches: In keeping with the pace of the show, everything seemed quick and to the point. Ty Burrell opened up the night with a pretty funny speech written from the kids on the cast of Modern Family. Sarah Silverman gave a similarly funny but incredibly winged speech after winning the writing award for her recent comedy special on HBO – thanking her agents while naming them after The Three Stooges and a number of other close confidants in one of the rare speeches that can be categorized as both short and rambling.

Steven Colbert and Jimmy Fallon teamed up after a flub filled award win for The Colbert Report to put together a pretty funny speech in which Colbert put words in Fallon’s mouth ultimately forcing the censors to jump in (in retrospect, I wonder why NBC didn’t offer Fallon the gig, he seems tailor made for stuff like this). Weirdly enough, the funniest speech of the night was Bryan Cranston’s self deprecating speech for Best Actor in A Drama

In Summation: This was a surprisingly tight show, fitting pretty squarely inside the 3 hour window NBC gave for the show. The Emmys also managed to avoid the funeral dirge angle that last year had with it’s six memoriam segments (five spotlights and the one usual montage) but also still seemed to miss the celebratory nature of these sort of shows. I think that the blame rests squarely on NBC, whom clearly treated this show as an afterthought (there’s still time left in the broadcast, let’s rush Vince Gilligan offstage in the last award of the night!), with little pomp and less circumstance. I don’t necessarily think that the show was bad, just lacking in star power (the only music segment featured “Weird Al”) and grandiosity (when you’re taking the backseat to the lowest wattage VMA’s in recent memory in spectacle, you’re clearly doing something wrong) and almost felt that the awards were reduced to a formality – a function i’m willing to guess was in part a result of the lack of love the peacock got in the nominating process (CBS and ABC did quite fine thank you).

Last but not least, this is my last day at Manhattan Digest, so I want to take this moment to thank Ryan for giving me a forum to grouse about TV over the last year and a half. It’s kinda crazy to see how I’ve grown as a writer and even moreso as a pop-culture consumer (lets just say I’ve watched more E! and Bravo in the last year and a half than I had any business doing in the 26 years of my life prior). I also want to thank all of you whom have read, commented, and devoted a little bit of time to reading this.

2014 MTV Video Music Awards- Who Will Win

by Ryan Shea

As sad as it is for me to say this, I was not invited to the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards that are happening tonight in Inglewood, California. I repped Manhattan Digest to the fullest at last year’s show when they were held at Brooklyn’s very own Barclay Center, and gave us one of the most epic performances in VMA history- Miley Cyrus. If you don’t know what happened then you have been living under a rock for the past year. Needless to say, this year’s VMA’s is sure to be unpredictable and insane as it usually is. The lineup of performances look sick, with the opening being pop divas Jessie J, Arianna Grande and hip-hop songstress Nicki Minaj doing their current top 10 single “Bang Bang”. Other noteworthy performances of the night should be Taylor Swift, who will be performing her new hit “Shake It Off” from the much anticipated new album “1989” due out October 27th. And of course, the lady of the night will be eight time nominee and already multiple VMA award winner Beyonce, who will be receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award later in the evening. This award has been bestowed on several legends in the industry, from Madonna, Janet Jackson, The Rolling Stones and most recently pop pioneers Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. Should be a performance of epic madness and one that I cannot wait to see.

So let’s breakdown the other thing that people are there to see- who will win each category at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. This year’s pack is stacked with some of the biggest artists and songs of the year, and is making it tough for this journalist to choose who will win and who should win. It is still funny to me that MTV broadcasts something like this when I believe I was wearing JNCO Jeans the last time they actually aired a block of music videos, but it is the most highly anticipated award show of the season, so I can see why they keep it going each year. Let’s breakdown each category, starting with the “Artist To Watch, Presented by Taco Bell”.

Artist to Watch, Presented By Taco Bell

5 Seconds Of Summer- “She Looks So Perfect”

Fifth Harmony- “Miss Moving On”

Sam Smith- “Stay With Me”

Schoolboy Q- “Man Of The Year”

Charli XCX- “Boom Clap”

Who Will Win- 5 Seconds Of Summer, Who Should Win- Sam Smith

5 Seconds Of Summer really came out of nowhere and has won the hearts of millions of adoring teens, who are the ones voting on this particular category for the most part. They are One Direction with talent, drums and guitar for the most part, so I sure as heck see them easily winning this won as it is a fan based vote. Fifth Harmony could’ve been a heavy contender for this if 5SOS wasn’t in it, but they won’t win this one. Schoolboy Q is amazing, as well as Charli XCX’s song from “The fault In Our Stars” but not enough to garner this. If Sam Smith doesn’t win this at the VMA’s, he sure as hell will win at the 2015 Grammys and several other prestigious awards. His solo work this year on “Stay With Me” on top of his brilliant performances with other artists such as Disclosure and Naughty Boy prove what a threat this guy is to the industry, and I hope he gets some love on VMA night.

Best Rock Video-

Lorde- “Royals”

Linkin Park- “Until I’m Gone”

Imagine Dragons- “Demons”

Black Keys- “Fever”

Arctic Monkeys- “Do I Wanna Know?”

Who Will Win- Imagine Dragons. Who Should Win- Black Keys.

Imagine Dragons have had a pretty awesome two years, and this was only the 2nd song released off of their amazing debut album. “Royals” is not a rock song, so I don’t get why it is in this category. Lorde has a better shot in other categories than this one, and sadly I don’t think Arctic Monkeys have a shot in this category either. Black Keys should win as “Fever” is an amazing video, but no doubt Imagine Dragons will be the one taking this home tonight.

Best Pop Video-

Arianna Grande Featuring Iggy Azealea- “Problem”

Iggy Azalea Featuring Chari XCX- “Fancy”

Avicii Featuring Aloe Blacc- “Wake Me Up”

Jason DeRulo Featuring 2Chainz- “Talk Dirty”

Pharrell Williams- “Happy”

Who Will Win- Arianna Grande & Iggy. Who Should Win- Pharrell.

This really has been the year for Arianna and Iggy, however I think because Arianna has a bigger tween and teen fanbase she should lock this one up. “Wake Me Up” should be more in the clubland award than this one, and “Talk Dirty” just seems too urban for this as well, as is “Fancy”. “Happy” is a freaking brilliant video that screams pop with a R&B flare, and should be the one to win in this. But expect pop ingenue Arianna Grande to be leaving with not just one but a couple of VMA night.

Best Female Video-

Lorde- “Royals”

Beyonce- “Partition”

Arianna Grande Featuring Iggy Azalea- “Problem”

Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX- “Fancy”

Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J- “Dark Horse”

Who Will Win- “Royals”. Who Should Win- “Dark Horse/Partition”

I think “Royals”, even though it is quite simple, kept my focus a lot more than the colorful pops that Iggy and Arianne presented in each of their videos, and the song is better than both so based off that it will and maybe should win. I loved the video for “Dark Horse” as Katy keeps bringing us really unique and out there videos that she has done so well over the years. “Partition” isn’t the best video from the Beyonce album, but the look and feel of it should really make her a good contender for this category tonight.

Best Male Video-

Ed Sheeran Featuring Pharrell Williams- “Sing”

Sam Smith- “Stay With Me”

John Legend- “All Of Me”

Eminem Featuring Rihanna- “Monster”

Pharrell Williams- “Happy”

Who Will Win- Ed Sheeran. Who Should Win- All of them (Minus John Legend).

This is quite possibly the strongest category of the bunch this year, as all videos and songs are incredible in their own unique ways. John’s song is amazing and is this generation’s new wedding song, however the video was basic and more of wedding video than an actual music video. I happen to love Ed Sheeran’s vocals and video for “Sing” so that gets my vote easily. I wouldn’t mind multiple VMA winner Eminem winning this for old times sake, however I think this is Ed’s to lose.

Best Hip-Hop Video-

Childish Gambino- “3005”

Drake Featuring Majid Jordan- “Hold On (We’re Going Home)”

Eminem- “Berserk”

Kanye West- “Black Skinhead”

Wiz Khalifa- “We Dem Boyz”

Who Will Win- Drake. Who should win- All of them.

Another really amazing category. I have to say Drake will win just based off of how popular the video and song was, however Eminem might be knocking at Drake’s door for this so don’t be surprised if he pulls an upset. Kanye’s video is one of his best ever with his own social message that makes this video and song one of the standouts off of his last album. Wiz hasn’t really had the biggest success since “Black & Yellow” however “We Dem Boyz” is a great video and keeps his street hustle going in the hip-hop game. Childish Gambino deserves a lot more success than then man is given, and I am super pumped the “3005” got the nod this year.

Video Of The Year-

Sia- “Chandelier”

Pharrell Williams- “Happy”

Miley Cyrus- “Wrecking Ball”

Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z- “Drunk In Love”

Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX- “Fancy”

Who Will Win- Miley or Beyonce. Who should win- SIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Chandelier” is such an AMAZING song and video that I really just want to see Sia make a public appearance and win this. She’s like the female Daft Punk, you really never see her so I think it would make an AWESOME VMA moment if she won. I don’t get why Iggy is in this, the video is great but not at this level, she’s too new. As much as “Wrecking Ball” is a great video it is more 2013 than 2014, so I don’t think it deserves to win this. “Happy” is amazing, but I fear Pharrell may be shut out due to the younger demographic. Seeing as this is Beyonce’s night, expect her to win her second Video Of The Year trophy (done once before for “Single Ladies” back in 2009). But this is quite the unpredictable category, so you never know.

Who do YOU think will win tonight? Comment here and for a full list of nominees check out the official website for more info.

Fall Preview 2014: NBC

by Michael Tyminski

Fall Preview: NBC

Last year was a startlingly successful year for the peacock – the network somehow inexplicably ended up number one in demo and pulled off the coup of all holiday coups getting 20 million viewers to see it’s holiday musical special of The Sound of Music. While the schedule itself didn’t change much, we do see some shakeups in even NBC’s lineup, a little interesting for network that’s trying to build off last years success.

Sundays for NBC in the fall are way simpler than any other network: it’s football, football, and more football. NBC’s Sunday Night Football starts with a Thursday debut on September 4^th with the Seahawks and Packers facing off leading into their time slot debut on the 7^th with the Colts and Broncos.

Mondays also remain completely unchanged for NBC from last year with both The Voice and The Blacklist returning back to back on Mondays starting September 22^nd. The voice sees yet another judging rotation, with Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams joining the show’s central Adam Levine and Blake Shelton bromance. NBC further protects The Blacklist, by running State of Affairs (11/17) between the seasons of The Voice. This combination was one of the key planks of the peacock’s schedule last year and they wisely want to to keep the same foundation this year after seeing Revolution and Go On both die horrible deaths after being separated from The Voice.

Tuesdays kick off with the second day of The Voice, which along with Fox’s Utopia function as the only multi day shows on the air this fall. The 9pm hour is filled with comedy, with the debuting Marry Me, and returning About A Boy (both premiere on 10/14). Rounding out the night is the returning Chicago Fire (9/23), which has held down that Tuesday at 10 slot over the last three years.

Wednesdays remain crime night at NBC, (probably due to the relative lack of crime dramas on the other networks that night), and we see the returning Dick Wolf double header of Law and Order: SVU, and Chicago PD. Opening up the night, however, is the debuting The Mysteries of Laura starring Debra Messing as a detective who also has to deal with twin boys and a divorce. All of the Wednesday series begin on 9/24.

We do start to see some structural changes on thursdays for the peacock as the thirty year vaunted Must See TV comedy block is officially dead, with Parks and Recreation finishing out and Community kicked to the Yahoo! Screen curb. NBC’s plan for Thursdays this fall actually looks suspiciously like it’s Tuesdays. Moving into the 8 o’clock hour? The Biggest Loser (debuting 9/11). NBC’s favorite drama, Parenthood, then returns to schedule on Septmeber 25th, occupying out the 10pm hour. We do still get a 9pm comedy hour that is built with 2 new shows: Bad Judge,starring Kate Walsh and whose premise I shouldn’t need to spell out, and A to Z, a romantic comedy starring Cristin Miloti (best known as the eventual mother of How I Met Your Mother).

Fridays bring the return of NBC’s horror block. With Dracula kicked to the curb, and the always amazing Hannibal taking a snooze til mid-season, we get the returning Grimm at 9, followed up by Constantine at 10, making for a stellar year for DC’s licensing (this, the Batman universe for Gotham, and The Flash were all picked up this year). Both return just in time for Halloween on 10/24, reflecting a similar strategy to what NBC did last year. Dateline rounds out the night at 8. Saturdays are typically a non factor for the peacock outside of SNL, so expect the usual mix of reruns and top flight Notre Dame football games in the primetime hours.

Tomorrow we finish up our Fall Preview 2014 with a look at the CW and some returns to the cable landscape!

Fall Preview 2014: ABC

by Michael Tyminski

Fall Preview: ABC

Last year, ABC’s went through a big shuffle, blowing up Tuesdays in the hope of capitalizing on Disney’s Marvel movie universe. This time around, ABC keeps a very similar lineup only switching up some new shows while generally standing pat.

Sundays feature the usual cocktail of dramas for ABC, with Once Upon A Time, Resurrection, and Revenge (all return 9/28) returning to their regular slots of 8 and 9 and 10pm respectively. Mondays also feature their usual lineup of Dancing With The Stars (9/15) leading into Castle (9/29). While Dancing with the Stars received a cut in hours last year, the show maintains it’s 2 hour slot this year, preventing any further time related clawbacks for the veteran series.

Tuesdays, which was the alphabet’s trouble spot last year, still maintains the seemingly hodgepodge scheduling ABC gave it last year, but a slight shuffle makes the lineup start to make a little more sense. The night is still built around tentpole show Agents of SHIELD, which moves to 9 pm (9/23), allowing for both the lead in and lead out effect of last year’s most hyped show to positively affect the remainder of the night. The night begins with two new comedies in Selfie and Manhattan Love Story (both debut 9/30), and in a positive development, ABC finally stops pairing non-family comedies with Modern Family. Following Agents in the ABC’s Tuesday 10pm death slot (which killed three series last year) is Forever (9/22 – time slot premiere 9/23), a show that melds crime procedural, medical procedural, and vampires.

Wednesdays are still ABC’s comedy wheelhouse and the lineup resembles what ABC should have gone with last year. The Middle and The Goldbergs hold the 8pm hour firm leading into Modern Family at 9. It’s another year, and another lead out for ABC’s most watched comedy, as the show melds into urban family comedy Blackish at 9:30. Nashville survives another year to round out the lineup at 10 (all shows debut 9/24). The thing I like about this lineup is ABC finally figured out that it should just keep it’s family centric comedies together. At no point was the audience for Modern Family, The Middle, and Surburgatory ever really going to go for a show like Super Fun Night, Happy Endings, or Don’t Trust the B.

Thursdays see a slight shuffle with Grey’s Anatomy moving to 8pm while Scandal finds it’s home in the 9pm slot. New show How to Get Away with Murder premieres at 10. This is a very strong lineup, if only because it effectively counterprograms against the newly enhanced Thursday Night Football menace (more on that tomorrow) by focusing on three shows that will likely skew heavily female (all shows debut 9/25).

Fridays bring the usual mix of Shark Tank, 20/20 (both return 9/26) and the return of Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing (10/3), while adding quirky comedy Cristela (10/10) to the mix. ABC has found a surprisingly high amount of success with this hodgepodge lineup over the last couple of seasons and there isn’t much of a reason to change it. Saturdays meanwhile are the domain of College Football, a recurring trend that one can expect to see across over all four networks.

Tomorrow: CBS’s fall lineup features some interesting moves. Keep following us at Manhattan Digest for more.

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