Ask Billboard: Who "Is" the '90s?

Dikutip dari website favorit Ithonx: http://www.mariahjournal.com

Artists who define decades, based on not only success, but pop culture impact. Of course, many artists span multiple decades, and perhaps this is subjective. But, to me, Frank Sinatra "is" the '40s, Elvis Presley the '50s, the Beatles the '60s, the Bee Gees the '70s and Michael Jackson the '80s.

So, who "is" the '90s? I'm not sure I can put the face on the decade. Nirvana maybe? Kurt Cobain and company perhaps best define the grunge genre that so took hold that decade, and Cobain's early death put a mysterious stamp on the era. And the '00s? Perhaps Eminem?

Billboard's Gary Trust:
These are some great questions, and what perhaps makes them so fun is that there's no definitive answer.

Joel Whitburn's most recent version of "Top Pop Singles," which chronicles the first 50 years of the Hot 100 (1958-2008), names the following artists as the top performers of each decade:

'60s: the Beatles
'70s: Elton John
'80s: Michael Jackson
'90s: Mariah Carey
'00s: Nelly

In Billboard's 1999 year-end issue, the combined song and album decade placement for the '90s shows as follows:

1, Mariah Carey
2, Janet Jackson
3, Garth Brooks
4, Boyz II Men
5, Celine Dion

While digesting all these rankings, since you asked, here are the artists that come to my mind when I think of each decade's top performers. '50s: Presley. '60s: the Beatles. '70s: John. '80s: Madonna. '90s: Carey. '00s: Eminem.

I choose Carey for the '90s based on her 14 Hot 100 No. 1s during the decade, a run that includes time spent at the top spot in every year in that span. While grunge, and alternative in general, arguably reached a pop culture zenith in the '90s, the genre's biggest hits often did not make the impacts on the Hot 100 that one might expect. (Nirvana's biggest Hot 100 entry, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," peaked at No. 6).

THE LAST SONG >>> Tak Tentu Arah

Nicholas Sparks boleh bangga beberapa tahun terakhir ini lantaran adaptasi novel-novel karyanya diborong Hollywood dan beberapa patut diacungi jempol. The Notebook, Night at Rodante, Dear John, When in Rome adalah beberapa contoh adaptasi novel Spark yang masuk kategori memorable. Bagaimana dengan The Last Song??

Ithonx bukan penggemar dan juga penghujat Miley Cyrus. Bagi Ithonx, alumni sitkom Hanna Montana ini tipikal sekali dengan anak-anak asuhan Disney lain semisal Hillary Duff dan Lindsay Lohan. Lihat postur tubuh mereka, dan coba lihat juga karir mereka. Tipikal, bukan?

Reny, teman baik Ithonx kept insisting supaya me-review film ini lantaran ini karya Spark (Spark juga menulis screen play-nya juga loh) dan dia gak mau nonton sebelum Ithonx review, he..he. Dengan pertimbangan itu, juga hadirnya Greg Kinnear dan Kelly Preston di film ini, plus DVD originalnya sudah dirilis, maka..here we are. Namun patut diingat bahwa di review ini terdapat 'spoiler' yg mungkin mengurangi kenikmatan menonton, dan juga Ithonx bukan penggemar chick flick sehingga penilaiannya sangat subjektif.

The Last Song bercerita tentang Veronica yang dipanggil Ronnie dan adik laki-lakinya yang mungkin masih SMP. Mereka di 'dampar'kan sang ibu ke rumah ayah mereka yang berada di tepi pantai selama summer break. Ibu dan ayah mereka sudah lama bercerai, dan sang ibu bahkan berencana ingin menikah lagi dengan pria lain. Jonah, sang adik, sangat antusias menghabiskan tiga bulan liburannya bersama sang ayah. Lain halnya dengan Ronnie yang sang pemberontak, dia malah sering membuat sang ayah jengkel dengan tingkah lakunya. Dari dialog-dialog mereka kita bakal tahu kalo Ronnie membenci sang ayah lantaran perceraian, ketidak pedulian sang ayah, dan blah..blah...blah...sehingga Ronnie tidak punya keinginan masuk kuliah dan berhenti bermain piano.

Kemudian datanglah William. Dengan cara bertemu yang klise akhirnya mereka jatuh hati. Ronnie berubah jadi ceria: berenang diakuarium, tidur ditepi pantai menunggui tukik menetas, bercanda dengan sang adik, dan baikan dengan sang ayah. Hampir satu jam kita akan disuguhi adegan-adegan cinta monyet yang gak penting. Sementara William digambarkan sebagai sosok teenage hunk yang sempurna (tampan, atletis, pintar otomotif, main volly dan kaya), sosok Ronnie digambarkan sebagai pribadi yang labil dan menjengkelkan (rebel without a cause gitu deh). Beberapa kali ada kesalah pahaman diantara mereka dan Ronnie selalu menyalahkan Will yang tanpa cacat itu. Kesel gak?

Di menit ke 50 an kita akan menghadapi kenyataan bahwa ternyata Will adalah.....gay. Ha..ha..bukan..!! Will adalah anak orang kaya yang tinggal di sebuah mansion. Ketika Ronnie diajak ke mansion dan diperkenalkan dengan orang tua Will, kita diajak berfikir bahwa cerita akan berubah menjadi dongeng ala Cinderella. Lagi-lagi Ronnie salah paham dan marah-marah tanpa sebab sehingga penonton sangat malas bersimpati dengan karakter ini. Will akhirnya terus terang bahwa dia sangat tidak bahagia tinggal dengan ortu kaya, apalagi sang kakak baru saja meninggal (klise!!). Di bagian ini kita mau tidak mau membandingkan plot film ini dengan Remember Me. Tapi tunggu dulu, Liam Hemsworth tidak bisa di bandingkan aktingnya dengan Robert Pattinson. Kalo mau kasar, Liam kerjanya cuma "always tries to look good" tanpa akting yang memadai.

Tiga puluh menit terakhir plot berubah yang awalnya tentang Ronnie dan Will, menjadi Ronnie dan Dad. Saat semuanya akan berakhir bahagia, Ronnie harus menerima kenyataan bahwa sang ayah terkena kanker dan umurnya tak lama lagi. Dan akhirnya menit-menit terakhir film ini diisi penyesalan Ronnie terhadap sikapnya dan lagi-lagi salah paham dengan si Will..!!!

Lalu apa yang tidak beres dengan film ini? Mari kita analisa (ha..ha)

1. Jelas filmnya jadi tak tentu arah dengan mengubah plotnya. Poster dan synopsisnya menggadang-gadangkan kisah cinta Will dan Ronnie (Liam dan Miley memang pacaran beneran), nyatanya walau porsi cinta klise mereka banyak tapi malah berakhir menjadi Ronnie dan Dad. Apalagi kisah summere love Will dan Ronnie benar-benar datar dan tanpa konflik berarti.

2. Jika pada akhirnya hubungan Ronnie dan Dad akan dijadikan prime plot, mengapa tidak dibangun dengan bagus diawal cerita? Penonton sudah dibuat jengkel dengan tingkah laku Ronnie terhadap sang pacar dan sang ayah, sehingga penonton jadi malas bersimpati dengannya walau harus kehilangan sang ayah.

3. Banyaknya plot hole sepanjang cerita. Kalau diamati, Rumah Will berupa mansion dengan pengamanan ketat, tiba-tiba Marcus, seorang bully,bisa dengan mudah masuk ke pernikahan sang kakak. Selebihnya silahkan dicermati sendiri.

4. Sosok sang ayah tidak diberi ruang banyak untuk dieksplorasi. Sepanjang cerita kita dibuat berfikir bahwa sang ayah merasa bersalah dengan apa yang ia perbuat, tapi ini tidak menjadikan alasan yang kuat sebagai tumpuan yang akan membuat penonton bersimpati. Hubungan ayah anak yang digambarkan tidak membuat penonton merasa kehilangan dengan 'mati'nya karakter sang ayah. Dengan sangat tidak jelas, kita disodori plot yang mencoba mengharu biru sebagai pengganti plot kisah cinta tidak kuat diawal cerita hingga 30 menit terakhir

5. Semua hal di film ini digambarkan dengan sangat sangat sangat klise. Sosok pemberontak Ronnie dengan segala dandanannya, sosok penuh pesona William yang tiba-tiba jatuh cinta (Ronnie tidak spesial sama sekali walau dia anak baru disana), kisah cinta penuh salah paham yang menyebalkan, dan banyak lainnya.

Rasanya The Last Song tidak layak dirilis di bioskop. Ithonx yang belum pernah baca novelnya, mau tak mau harus menyalahkan penulis cerita dan Miley Cyrus yang membuat film ini menjadi "just another Miley's movie' bukan film-nya Nic Sparks. Jika di awal Ithonx menyebut-nyebut Remember Me, percayalah, film ini kualitasnya jauh dibawahnya. Liam dan Miley berpacaran beneran, tapi mereka tidak memperlihatkan chemistry yang meyakinkan.

Tapi kembali lagi, semua hanya masalah selera. Penggemar Miley akan tetap menilai film ini bgs, walau Ithonx yakin kalau penggemar chick flick akan setuju dengan pendapat Ithonx lantaran film ini tidak ada romantis-romantisnya sama sekali. Ini hanya pendapat loh. Silahkan nonton sendiri deh. And btw, Nicholas Spark harus lebih selektif lagi mengijinkan noverl-novelnya untuk diadaptasi ke film. Sembari menunggu, nonton The Notebook dulu ya....

84 SERIAL TV YANG TIDAK DILANJUTKAN ATAU BERAKHIR SEPANJANG 2009 -2010 >>> Apa Favorit mu Termasuk??

Dikutip dari website favorit Ithonx:

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/2009-10-tv-shows-canceled-15014/

‘Til Death (FOX)
The Brad Garrett – Joely Fisher sitcom survived to see four seasons thanks to a deal with Sony TV who wanted to produce enough episodes for a syndication package. After lots of low ratings, the show’s luck ran out and it was cancelled. The final episode airs on May 19th.

10 Things I Hate About You (ABC Family)
This adaptation of the movie of the same name (which itself was a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew) did well in season one but viewership dropped off in season two. As a result, there won’t be season three.

24 (FOX)
It looks like Jack Bauer will finally get a day off. The network, studio, and executive producers have decided to end the series after eight seasons. Fans can take solace in the fact that there are already plans to make a movie.

Accidentally on Purpose (CBS)
We won’t get to see how Billie and Zach do as parents or as a married couple. The sitcom’s been cancelled after 18 episodes.

As the World Turns (CBS)
The network has decided to end the venerable soap opera after 54 years on the air, due to low ratings. Proctor & Gamble has pledged to try to find a new home for the series but hasn’t had success yet. It will go off the air in September. Petition link.

At the Movies (Syndicated)
The movie review show that featured newspaper film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel for many years will be coming to a close in August. After parting ways with Disney, Ebert says that he is working on his own program that will incorporate new hosts and interaction with an online audience.

The Beautiful Life (CW)
This show about young models portrays the cut-throat and competitive world of high fashion. Starring Mischa Barton, Corbin Bleu, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Nico Tortorella, and Elle Macpherson, it was the first casualty of the 2009-10 season. The drama had poor ratings and waspulled after two episodes. The series’ five episodes have been posted officially on YouTube.

Ben 10: Alien Force (Cartoon Network)
The animated series is ending after three seasons and 46 episodes. Fans have no reason to worry though, it’ll be replaced by Ben 10: Evolution later this year.

Better Off Ted (ABC)
In truth, ABC probably shouldn’t have given this comedy a second season. Though love it, the series has never caught on with a mass audience. Season two’s ratings were terrible so it won’t be coming back for season three. ABC still has two unaired episodes.

The Bill Engvall Show (TBS)
Comic Bill Engvall plays a family counselor who can’t always figure out his own crazy family. The rest of the sitcom cast includes Nancy Travis, Jennifer Lawrence, Graham Patrick Martin, Skyler Gisondo, and Tim Meadows. The series was cancelled after three seasons and 30 episodes due to a decline in ratings.

Bill Moyers Journal (PBS)
The weekly news program originally ran from 1972 until 1976 and then from 1979 until 1981. Moyers revived the show again in 2007. In November 2009, he announced that he would be retiring from the program as of April 30, 2010.

Blonde Charity Mafia (CW)
This docu-series revolves around a trio of influential young women in Washington, DC. It was initially developed for Lifetime before moving to CW. After delaying its airing, the network has decided to cancel their plans to broadcast it at all. The show may be sold to another outlet.

The Bonnie Hunt Show (syndicated)
This talk show has been on the air for two seasons but hasn’t been a big ratings winner in the competitive daytime market. The distributor decided to cancel it though original programs will continue to be produced until June.

Brotherhood (Showtime)
A gritty drama about two Irish-American brothers; a politician (Jason Clarke) and a thug (Jason Isaacs). Others in the cast include Kevin Chapman, Annabeth Gish, Fiona C. Erickson, Brian Scannell, Kerry O’Malley, Fionnula Flanagan, Madison Garland, and Billy Smith. After three years, Showtime opted not to continue the series. The news broke when the third season was released on DVD as “The Final Season.”

Brothers (FOX)
This sitcom about a former NFL star and his paraplegic brother struggled on Friday nights and then didn’t do any better on Sundays. All 13 episodes aired before the end of 2009 and FOX later decided to cancel it.

The Cleaner (A&E)
This series revolves around a recovering drug addict who helps others beat their own addictions. The drama stars Benjamin Bratt, Brett DelBuono, Liliana Mumy, Grace Park, Esteban Powell, Amy Price-Francis, and Kevin Michael Richardson. The series ended after two seasons and 26 episodes.

Cold Case (CBS)
The investigations are sadly over. Detective Rush and her team won’t be back for season eight.

The Deep End (ABC)
A drama about a group of young and attractive legal eagles didn’t get renewed for another round.

Defying Gravity (ABC)
A group of eight astronauts undertake a mysterious space mission. The sci-fi drama stars Andrew Airlie, Christina Cox, Zahf Paroo, Ron Livingston, Laura Harris, Karen LeBlanc, William C. Vaughan, Malik Yoba, Paula Garces, Florentine Lahme, Eyal Podell, Dylan Taylor, Ty Olsson, Maxim Roy, Peter Howitt, and Lara Gilchrist. ABC aired only seven episodes. The network maintained that they would air the five remaining episodes at a later date but that seems highly unlikely. The sets have been destroyed and the series creator has confirmed the show is finished.

Dollhouse (FOX)
The Joss Whedon series follows a group of people who have their personalities wiped and replaced with other personas for projects-for-hire. Despite low ratings, the series was renewed for a second season but the numbers fell too low for a third year. The show was cancelled and the last episode aired on January 29, 2010.

Eastwick (ABC)
Three women (Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price, and Jaime Ray Newman) discover that they have supernatural powers once a handsome stranger (Paul Gross) comes to town. The series didn’t attract enough viewers and was cancelled after 13 episodes. You can read recaps of the two episodes that haven’t run on ABC here and here. Petition link.

ECW (Syfy)
Syfy’s professional wrestling program ran for four seasons and 193 episodes before going off the air. It was replaced by WWE NXT.

Find My Family (ABC)
This reality show helped people to reconnect with their love ones. All eight episodes have aired and it won’t be back for a second season.

FlashForward (ABC)
This drama started out strong in the ratings but viewership kept dropping. Then, ABC put it on hiatus (in part because of the Olympics) and things got even worse. No season two.

Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
A unique comedy and music series, this show follows fictionalized versions of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. After two seasons, they decided to call it quits but may return in a special.

Fly Girls (The CW)
The reality show about five beautiful flight attendants has been grounded after one season.

the forgotten (ABC)
Christian Slater’s second TV series fared only slightly better than his first.

Gary Unmarried (CBS)
A moderate success for the network, the ratings dropped in season two. No season three.

Ghost Whisperer (CBS)
Ratings for this Friday night drama fell significantly this season so it won’t be back, unless ABC picks it up.

The Goode Family (ABC)
An animated sitcom about an overly politically-correct and dysfunctional family that stars the voices of Mike Judge, Brian Doyle Murray, Dave Herman, Linda Cardellini, and Nancy Carell. ABCcancelled the series in August after running all of the episodes. Comedy Central later picked up the series. If it performs well, a second season could have been commissioned but the ratings weren’t there.

The Great American Road Trip (NBC)
This reality show pitted families against one another as they traveled across the country in motor homes. The show quickly ran out of gas and was cancelled after one season of eight episodes.

Guiding Light (CBS)
After 57 years on television, the network decided to end this venerable soap opera. The ratings had been slipping for many years and the curtain came down after 15,762 episodes. Petition link.

Hank (ABC)
Kelsey Grammer stars as a Wall Street CEO who’s fired from his company and returns with his family to live in his small hometown. The rest of the family is played by Melinda McGraw, Jordan Hinson, Nathan Gamble, and David Koechner. ABC shut down production after 10 episodes but only five were shown because of low ratings.

Happy Town (ABC)
Viewers will get some answers before the series finale but not all.

Head Case (Starz)
Alexandra Wentworth stars as an unconventional therapist that helps the Hollywood crowd. After three seasons, the doctor is out.

Here Come the Newlyweds (NBC)
This reality series sought to educate just-married couples by having them take care of babies, toddlers, and senior citizens. It lasted two seasons.

Heroes (NBC)
After seasons of declining ratings, the peacock network has pulled the plug. There are plans in the works to wrap up the series with an event of some kind.

High Society (The CW)
This reality series follows a group of society ladies who attend the best affairs in New York City. The party’s over after one season.

The Hills (MTV)
After six seasons, the reality show is coming to a close. It’s a safe be that we haven’t seen the last of the cast however.

Hitched or Ditched (FOX)
A reality show about long-term relationship couples finally making the leap. It won’t return for season two.

I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (NBC)
The peacock network revived this ABC reality series that puts a group of “celebrities” in a jungle and makes them compete in challenges. It wasn’t a success in many ways and won’t be back.

The Jay Leno Show (NBC)
The network wanted to save money by running cheaper programming five nights a week at 10pm. The official line was that they were pleased with the results but the local affiliate stations, whose newscasts were losing viewers as a result, weren’t. As a result, Leno’s show ended in February and he returned to the Tonight Show on March 1st.

The Jeff Dunham Show (Comedy Central)
The ventriloquist’s show got off to a solid start but the ratings quickly dropped. The series was cancelled after one season but the cable channel intends to stay in business with Dunham.

Joe Buck Live (HBO)
This sports talk show got off to a tough start when Artie Lange essentially hijacked the first episode. Three episodes aired and there won’t be a fourth. Buck is in talks to do a similar show for Fox Sports.

Jon & Kate Plus Eight (TLC)
The marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin fell apart and so did the show’s chances for a sixth season. Kate will continue without Jon for Kate Plus Eight and that’ll start June 6th.

Kings (NBC)
Ian McShane headlines this series about a fictional version of the United States that’s ruled by an absolute monarchy. The rest of the impressive cast includes Christopher Egan, Allison Miller, Susanna Thompson, Macaulay Culkin, Sebastian Stan, Eamonn Walker, Dylan Baker, and Wes Studi. An expensive program to produce, the series didn’t attract many viewers. All 13 episodes were aired.

Law & Order (NBC)
This venerable crime drama was poised to surpass Gunsmoke as the longest-running primetime drama in US history. Unfortunately NBC and Dick Wolf couldn’t come to an agreement and the show is ending after 20 seasons.

Legend of the Seeker (Syndicated)
This fantasy series ran for two seasons before the Tribune stations opted not to renew their contract. ABC Studios, which produces the show, tried to find stations to take their place but was unsuccessful. One of the producers and one of the stars have confirmed that it’s dead.

Lincoln Heights (ABC Family)
After four seasons, the story of Officer Eddie Sutton and his family came to a close. The show’s ratings had dropped and the cable channel opted not to bring it back for another year.

The Listener (NBC)
Craig Olejnik stars as a young paramedic who has the ability to listen to other people’s thoughts. Others in the cast include Enis Esmer, Colm Feore, Lisa Marcos, Mylene Robic, Anthony Lemke, Paulino Nunes. NBC pulled the series after eight episodes but all 13 were shown online and in Canada. NBC has cancelled the show but it’s been renewed in Canada. The producers hope to find another outlet in the US.

Lost (ABC)
What began as a “simple” plane crash story has become into one of the most unforgettable series in television history. The large ensemble cast includes Matthew Fox, Naveen Andrews, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly, and Terry O’Quinn. It was announced in 2007 that the show would end after six seasons.

Melrose Place (The CW)
Not even Heather Locklear could save this spin-off. It’s gone after 18 episodes.

Mental (FOX)
This series got off to a slow start last summer and the ratings didn’t get better for subsequent episodes. FOX opted to cancel the show after all of the episodes had aired.

Mercy (NBC)
It looked like this medical drama was going to easily outperform fellow freshman series Trauma.Unfortunately Mercy couldn’t hold onto its audience and both shows have been cancelled.

Miami Medical (CBS)
This Friday night drama took the Numb3rs timeslot but couldn’t beat its ratings. It won’t return for season two.

Monk (USA)
Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is a police detective whose brilliance is only limited by his obsessive-compulsive disorders. Other series regulars have included Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford. Monk ended after eight seasons and 125 episodes.

More to Love (FOX)
From the creator of The Bachelor, this dating series attempted to match up a bachelor up with a plus-sized mate. It lasted nine episodes and one season.

The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus and friends won’t be back for season six, unless ABC decides to save it.

Nip/Tuck (FX)
A show that revolves around plastic surgeons, the series concluded after 100 episodes and seven seasons. The last episode aired on March 3rd. Petition link.

Numb3rs (CBS)
Don and Charlie have finished their cases, after six seasons on the air.

Past Life (FOX)
This drama about a team that try to help people by uncovering past life traumas didn’t make it beyond three episodes before being pulled and cancelled. There are plans to air the remaining episodes this summer.

The Philanthropist (NBC)
A billionaire playboy (James Purefoy) decides to use his wealth and influence to change the lives of others. He’s assisted by his best friend (Jesse L. Martin) and his friend’s wife (Neve Campbell). NBC aired all eight episodes but received low ratings. Though the network hasn’t admitted that it’s been cancelled, a “Complete Series” DVD was released in January 2010.

Raising the Bar (TNT)
A group of former legal students reunite at a law firm and in the the courtroom, often on opposite sides. The series features Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben, Currie Graham, Melissa Sagemiller, J. August Richards, Jonathan Scarfe, Teddy Sears, and Jane Kaczmarek. Ratings were strong for the premiere but quickly fell off and went too low to warrant a third season.

Reno 911! (Comedy Central)
This is a satirical program that follows a fictitious police department in Reno, Nevada. Over the past 88 episodes, the ensemble cast has included Cedric Yarbrough, Niecy Nash, Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon, Kerri Kenney, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey. After six seasons, Comedy Central decided to call it quits.

Rita Rocks (Lifetime)
In this sitcom, Nicole Sullivan stars as an over-stressed mom who manages to find time to play in a local rock band. It lasted two seasons and 40 episodes.

Robin Hood (2006) (BBC)
A retelling of the classic legend that stars Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage, David Harewood, Keith Allen, Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Joe Armstrong, Lara Pulver, and Harry Lloyd. It was announced in August 2008 that Armstrong, who plays the title character, would be leaving the show after three seasons. A creative revamp was considered but a fourth season wasn’t ordered.

Romantically Challenged (ABC)
The Alyssa Milano sitcom had just aired three episodes when the network decided to cancel the show. No word on when/if the remaining episodes will air.

Ruby & the Rockits (ABC Family)
A teenage girl (Alexa Vega) tracks down her lounge singer father (David Cassidy) and the two move in with her uncle (Patrick Cassidy) and his family (Katie A. Keane, Austin Butler, and Kurt Doss). The series started out strong but ratings declined. ABC Family opted not to order a second season but all 10 episodes aired.

The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy Central)
Season three almost didn’t happen because of money issues. When the show finally returned, the ratings were poor. Sarah and her pals won’t be back for season four.

Saving Grace (TNT)
A hard-living detective, played by Holly Hunter, is set to solve her final case. The series is scheduled to end after four seasons on June 21, 2010.

Scrubs (ABC)
Though Zack Braff and others left last season, ABC wanted to keep it going so they’d have more episodes for the lucrative syndication package. The ratings for the “med school” version were terrible.

Sons of Tucson (FOX)
The sitcom got off to a poor start and was pulled after four episodes. Unaired episodes start running June 6th but there won’t be a second year.

The Superstars (ABC)
The reality competition series paired celebrities with top athletes and pitted them against other teams. The ratings were terrible and the network even bumped the finale for a rerun of The Bachelorette.

Surviving Suburbia (ABC)
A family sitcom that centers around a grumpy dad (Bob Saget), his family (Cynthia Stevenson, Jared Kusnitz, and G. Hannelius), and his sleazy friend (Jere Burns). The show had a decent start followingDancing with the Stars but fell apart on its own. All 13 episodes of season one aired and the show wascancelled.

Survivors (BBC)
Not a remake of the 1970’s series, this show was also based on the Terry Nation novel. It lasted just 12 episodes.

There Goes the Neighborhood (CBS)
The reality show competition that pit neighbor against neighbor won’t be back for season two.

Three Rivers (CBS)
This medical series follows those who help people in need to organ transplants. Starring Alex O’Loughlin, the show never caught on in the ratings and was pulled after eight episodes had aired.Petition link.

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC)
The peacock network wasn’t seeing the ratings that it expected and wanted to push Tonight to 12:05am so that a half-hour Jay Leno show could air at 11:35pm. O’Brien wouldn’t do it so the show was ended and he left the network, presumably to start a new late night show elsewhere.

Trauma (NBC)
This San Francisco-based drama revolves around a group of brave first responders. The show struggled in the ratings from the start and NBC initially decided not to order any episodes beyond the initial 13 installments. They later changed their minds and ordered more. They didn’t do any better and the show was cancelled. Petition link.

The Tudors (Showtime)
The epic drama, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, is ending after four lavish seasons on Showtime. The series finale is expected to air on June 13th.

The Tyra Banks Show (CW)
The diva and host says that she’s decided to cancel the show to focus more on producing. Other reports have indicated that the series was due to be cancelled because of budget issues.

Ugly Betty (ABC)
ABC has decided to cancel the show after four seasons because of declining ratings in both seasons three and four. The series finale aired on on April 14, 2010.

The Wanda Sykes Show (FOX)
The weekly late night talk show didn’t meet the network’s expectations so it’s not coming back.

AKU DAN SITKOM

Diantara panjangnya daftar serial teve favorit, maka sitkom menduduki peringkat atas buat saya. Sitkom memang tidak pernah merajai rating, namun kehadirannya selalu konsisten dan mendapat tempat di hati pemirsa, itu menurut sebuah majalah hiburan loh. Satu dekade terakhir ini serbuan serial teve yang menyoroti prosedur kinerja polisi, kehidupan pekerja medis, dan superhero menggempur tayangan teve, namun beberapa sitkom masih tetap mencuri perhatian. Yang masih tayang mungkin How I Met Your Mother, Two and A Half Man, Gerry Unmarried, Better Off Ted, 30 Rocks, Accidentally on Purpose, dan sedikit lainnya.

Berhubung penelitian saya berhubungan dengan sitkom, dan mungkin masih banyak yang bingung tentang apa itu sitkom, nih saya kutip beberapa halaman tesis saya ya.

Istilah sitkom berasal dari situation comedy. Selanjutnya pake bahasa Inggris ya...males nerjemahinnya, ini ada di halaman 10 tesis saya yang bisa di baca ntar di Perpustakaan Pasca Sarjana Universitas Sriwijaya.

"This popular format of entertainment is a weekly show that entails a regular cast of characters in sequence of episodes that take place in the same location. Sitcom can be either tapped in front of studio audiences as in FRIENDS or canned applause is tapped in. The other characteristic of sitcom is that it has laugh track so sitcom is easy to be recognized among other TV program. Sitcoms provide verbal plays, funny and unexpected situations, or problem which could happen to anyone and usually are rapidly resolved. In America, sitcom is one of the most influential TV program"

Sederhananya sitkom biasanya bertempat di lokasi yang sama tiap episode. Ketika direkam, bisa di depan penonton langsung sehingga suara orang tertawanya asli, ato direkam dulu kemudian diberi efek suara tertawa yang disebut laugh track. Nah, jadi mudah kan mengenali sitkom? Di Amrik, sitkom menjadi satu dari sedikit tayangan paling berpengaruh loh. Di bawah ini adalah daftar sitkom paling berpengaruh di sono.

TV’s Most Influential Sitcoms. The complete list is as follows.

1. I Love Lucy

2. All In The Family

3. Mary Tyler Moore Show

4. M*A*S*H

5. The Cosby Show

6. The Dick Van Dyke Show

7. Seinfield

8. Cheers

9. The Simpsons

10. The Honeymooners

11. The Andy Griffith Show

12. The Brady Bunch

13. The Beverly Hillbillies

14. Leave It To Beaver

15. FRIENDS

16. Gilligan Island

17. Roseanne

18. Family Ties

19. The Bob Newheart Show

20. Taxi

Kalo diliat dari gambarnya, kebanyakan sitkom-sitkom berpengaruh sangat klasik ya, bahkan saya sendiri belum pernah menontonnya. Era 90 adalah masa ketika saya akrab dengan tayangan serial teve dan sitkom. Era ke-emasan itu melahirkan sitkom-sitkom favorit seperti The Nanny, Step by Step, Blossom, Boys Meet World, Lizzy McGuire, Popular, I Dreamed of Jeannie, Just Shoot Me, Suddenly Susan, Married with Children dan banyak lagi, terutama yang paling saya senangi: FRIENDS. Sitkom lokal juga banyak pada era itu, misalnnya Lenong Rumpi. Gara-gara, Lika Liku Laki-laki, Jiny oh Jiny, Jin dan Jun, Tuyul dan Mbak Yul, Jomblo. Kalo sekarang kayaknya cuma OB, Bajaj Bajuri, Suami-Suami Takut Istri, The Coffe Bean Show and Kejar Tayang yang cukup mencuri perhatian ya.

Kalo di kaji secara bentuk dan karakteristik, sitkom bisa dijabarkan sebagai berikut:

Sitcoms as one of TV series forms, have certain characteristics namely; the presence of regular, stable and consistent characters, being 30 minutes in length, being broadcasted weekly, the use of naturalist filming, the use of recurring gags and slapstick humor, and having a plausible plot based on situations revolving around the taboos, preoccupations, prejudices, obsessions, fads and fixations of current society (Brandt, 2005:9).

Kalo secara struktur naratif, maka standar yang dipakai adalah sebagai berikut:
* Orientation – an account of the situation when the story begins,

· Complication – conflicts between characters,

· Resolution – the solution to the threat,

· Evaluation – the characters re-evaluate their relationship,

· Re-Orientation – order is restored

Tapi kalo secara komprehensif alias super detil, maka sitkom bisa di karakterisasi sebagai berikut neeh:

Form

• Episodes tend to be between 24 and 30 minutes long, with self-contained narratives.
• Sitcoms tend to be contained within series not serials.
• Sitcoms are heavily reliant upon a formula of repetition in a static situation with changing events. However within the formula, innovation is necessary to engage the audience and to gratify their expectations.

Style

• They are usually studio-based.
• The setting is usually a familiar location, often an interior.
• They are usually based in domestic or workplace environments.
• They use a limited number of locations.

Narrative

• The narrative of a sitcom rarely continues from one episode to the next. Even in sitcoms that have ongoing storylines, each episode still tends to commence with a situation that has to be resolved by the end.
• Sitcoms are based on a situation usually connected with working or family life.
• Sitcom narratives follow a circular structure of a starting orientation, followed by complication and a return to resolution at the end of the episode.

Wah, saya sendiri tidak menyangka kalo sitkom bakal jadi objek penelitianku, memang susahnya minta ampun, tapi tidak apalah demi meneliti sesuatu yang kita sukai, ya gak?? Saat ini saya sedang menikmati Accidentally on Purpose, How I Met Your Mother, Till Death, dan tentu saja mengulangi musim demi musim FRIENDS.


Sitkom identik dengan kekocakan, namun jika tidak faham dimana yang lucu, maka yang ada adalah kejengkelan dan merasa garing. Dulu, ketika saya mulai menggilai sitcom (kebanyakan tayang malam), saya sering terbahak-bahak sendiri di ruang tamu sehingga ortu kadang heran mendengar gelak tawa saya ditengah malam. Pernah, menonton sitkom bareng teman-teman, dan seperti biasa saya tertawa renyah, namun teman-teman malah diem ayem dan heran dengan saya yang bisa tertawa. Jika itu juga yang kalian tanya, maka sama seperti waktu itu, saya tetap tak bisa menjelaskan. Saya hanya bisa bilang kalo exposure belasan tahun terhadap budaya dan bahasa yang ada di serial teve dan sitkom adalah faktor utama. Saya tidak pernah bilang saya menyukai budaya barat, tapi saya merasa lelucon orang amerika lebih mudah dinikmati daripada lelucon lokal yang masih bertumpu pada ejekan dan tingkah laku.

Membicarakan sitkom bagi saya tidak akan habisnya. Sitkom favorit kalian apa?