There’s a bit of a crazy turnaround in Pasadena today. The Rose Bowl game and its attendant Tournament of Roses Parade just wrapped up yesterday. As they check out of the Langham Hotel, a turn of the century resort at the edge of town, the TV Critics Association winter press tour will be moving in.
Nearly two weeks of nonstop press conferences, working lunches, set visits and parties are about to begin. There will be drinking among the 180 or so members of the press jettig in today from across North America. But they will have deserved it after all of those press conferences.
The TV press can be a professionally cynical bunch, but you can gague the excitement at seeing a glimpse of a promising new show, rubbing shoulders with stars or producers over cocktails, or writing some sharp turn in the cultural force of television.
So far it seems like there may be better new shows starting in winter than there were in fall (which is good news). Can’t wait to glimpse some of the new things coming up from HBO. Cable is always packed with a wide variety of characters – old Hollywood, over the top reality casts, folks from government or victims of recent tragedy.
And it begins with PBS, which has a livelier than usual schedule including performances the first two nights by The B-52s and Tony Bennett in the old hotel ballrooms. I can get used to that.
I’ll be writing the happenings of the TCA winter press tour exclusively for readers here at rogercatlin.com (unless somebody hires me for freelance work).. And live tweets all day @rcatlin. Send in your requests and questions.