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Tag: harry-shearer

  • Movie Review: ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’

    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    Opening in theaters September 12 is ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,’ directed by Rob Reiner and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison, Elton John, and Paul McCartney.

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    Related Article: Rob Reiner and the Cast Return to Kick off Filming ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street's
    (L to R) Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s
    ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    More than 40 years ago, Rob Reiner made his feature directorial debut with ‘This is Spinal Tap,’ a faux documentary – or a mockumentary – about the final American tour of an aging, dysfunctional, and generally tacky British heavy metal act called Spinal Tap. Featuring Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer as the three main members of the group, and Reiner himself as filmmaker Marty Di Bergi, who is ‘directing’ the doc, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ not only was a brilliantly funny satire of documentaries but an acidic look at the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle that is required viewing for heavy rockers to this day.

    Four decades and many projects later for all involved, the venerable metal squad returns in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,’ in which the band – due to a contractual glitch – have to reunite for one last show despite not speaking with each other in 15 years. It’s a difficult lift to try and recapture the absurdist magic of the original film, and Reiner and company don’t quite do that. But they manage to pull together a bunch of funny moments and create an affectionate and warm tribute to the ‘band’ that will leave fans smiling.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    As in the first film, the ‘story’ is only a loose thread on which to string together the various sketches and character bits that paint a portrait of the now elderly group (and their even more elderly wigs). Following the original documentary, Spinal Tap saw a resurgence in their career that they managed to milk for another 25 years – until one day, 15 years ago, lead singer David St. Hubbins (McKean) suddenly stopped talking to guitarist and co-founder Nigel Tufnel (Guest) for reasons unknown to everyone, even Nigel.

    David now writes hold music and plays with a mariachi band in Morro Bay, California, while Nigel runs a ‘cheese and guitars’ shop in Northern England and bassist Derek Smalls (Shearer) is the proprietor of a London glue museum. But due to the management contract now held by Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), daughter of late Spinal Tap manager Ian Faith (the late Tony Hendra), the band is obligated to play one more show. Can they pull it together, and will we find out why David ceased communicating with his elementary school pal Nigel?

    The answers are revealed — and really don’t matter (the latter revelation is especially perfunctory and ill-staged). The real joy of ‘Spinal Tap II’ is seeing these comedians once again don the personas of this permanently addled, perpetually mediocre musical act. There are lots of nods to the original film: for instance, the band can’t find a new drummer – Questlove and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich are among those they approach — because all are terrified of joining the nearly dozen who have died in the past. Instead of his amps going to 11, Nigel now has a cheese grater hidden in the back of his guitar for a mid-concert snack and an ever-expanding collection of floor pedals.

    (L to R) Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    Their new PR consultant (Fran Drescher’s Bobbi Flekman passes on returning in a brief cameo), an obnoxious blowhard played by Chris Addison, reckons that the best thing would be for one of the members to die onstage during the concert. That bit touches on the film’s underlying idea: when is enough enough? In an era where audiences are taking out second mortgages to go to one ‘farewell’ concert after another from aging rock legends, should these guys know when to stop?

    Don’t think too deeply about that, because the film doesn’t. Reiner stages it just like the first one, with ‘candid’ footage of the band’s misadventures cut between interview sessions conducted by the rather clumsy Mr. Di Bergi. It fits pretty seamlessly with the first one stylistically, but the reversals and some – not all – of the jokes seem a bit tired. Still, the ones that land are often still hysterical, and despite what we said above, there’s something fun and comfortable about seeing these lads go at it once again.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    ‘Spinal Tap II’ really belongs to McKean and Guest, with Shearer and Reiner there as steady support along with a boatload of cameos. It’s Guest who is perhaps the most surprising, as the befuddled Nigel displays another side to his personality that finds him yearning to be back in his cheese shop with his wife. McKean’s David still suffers from lead singer disease, most noticeably when Paul McCartney sits in with the band during rehearsals and offers some advice on how to strengthen a song – advice which David does not take kindly to (“He has a toxic personality,” sneers the frontman later about the affable, soft-spoken musical deity).

    McCartney seems to enjoy being in on the joke, and there is a moment in that sequence where you can palpably feel McKean, Shearer, and Guest’s amazement that they’re jamming with a Beatle. The same goes for Elton John, who shows up late in the film but also proves a good sport in a twist on one of the first movie’s most famous sequences.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest in 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Photo: Bleecker Street.
    (L to R) Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Photo: Bleecker Street.

    We went into ‘Spinal Tap II’ thinking that Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer couldn’t pull it off, and that it would be a flat-footed debacle. That’s hardly the case. As we noted earlier, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a sort of lightning-in-a-bottle scenario, and at times ‘Spinal Tap II’ labors too hard to recapture that vibe. But we would also be lying if we said that this rusty but pleasant contraption of a film didn’t tap into our sense of nostalgia more than once – just like the bands it still sends up.

    ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’ receives a score of 80 out of 100.

    (L to R) Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

    What is the plot of ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’?

    Some 40 years after his film ‘This is Spinal Tap’ chronicled a doomed U.S. tour by an over-the-hill British metal band, film director Marty Di Bergi creates another documentary of the band’s reunion and final show.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’?

    • Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel
    • Michael McKean as David St. Hubbins
    • Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls
    • Rob Reiner as Marty Di Bergi
    • Kerry Godliman as Hope Faith
    • Chris Addison as Simon Howler
    • Valerie Franco as Didi Crockett
    • Fran Drescher as Bobbi Flekman
    • Paul Shaffer as Artie Fufkin
    • Elton John as himself
    • Paul McCartney as himself
    (L to R) Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean in Bleecker Street's 'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues'. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.
    (L to R) Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, and Michael McKean in Bleecker Street’s ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. Credit: Bleecker Street / Kyle Kaplan.

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    Buy Tickets: ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Music On Amazon

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  • ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel Starts Shooting

    Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner in 'This Is Spinal Tap.'
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    Preview:

    • The cameras are now rolling on the ‘This is Spinal Tap’ sequel.
    • Stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer will all reprise their roles.
    • Elton John and Paul McCartney are among the celebrity music cameos.

    There was much excitement among the ‘Spinal Tap’ faithful last year when Rob Reiner –– who co-created and directed classic mockumentary ‘This is Spinal Tap’ –– confirmed that the long-anticipated sequel to the comedy movie would finally start its cameras rolling in February 2024.

    Of course, Tap being Tap (the band that is famously seen getting lost in the labyrinthine corridors of a Cleveland venue, and saw their Stonehenge set pieces constructed to slightly smaller scale than imagined), it hasn’t exactly worked out like that.

    Still, production company Castle Rock has announced that the follow-up is now officially in production in New Orleans, as Reiner starts aiming to marshal that madness that comes when you have Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer making music together.

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    What was the story of ‘This is Spinal Tap’?

    Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    To give its full title, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a mock doc following the titular heavy metal band around as they tour their new album. The comedy that ensues includes them securing second billing to a puppet show and much talk of the fates to befall various former drummers.

    The film stars McKean, Guest and Shearer as the main members of the band, David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls, and while there was an outline for each scene and certain points that had to be hit, a lot of the movie was improvised by the cast.

    Reiner appeared on screen as Marti DiBergi, the filmmaker following the band around to document their few triumphs and many disasters.

    Released in 1984, it makes regular appearances on or atop Best Comedy lists and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry and deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress.

    Since the original film, there has been a DVD sequel, ‘The Return of Spinal Tap’, and an album, ‘Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead’ arrived in 2009.

    The band has also toured a few times, but this marks the full reunion of Reiner with his stars.

    What’s the story of the ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel?

    Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in 'This Is Spinal Tap.'
    (L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    Almost nothing has been revealed about the new movie, though the official announcement carries the following logline: “after a 15-year hiatus, England’s loudest and most punctual band reunite for one final concert.”

    Here’s what Reiner says about the new movie:

    “I recently spoke to Marty DiBergi who said that he was more than happy to take a sabbatical from his position as a visiting Professor’s Assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts to once again document Spinal Tap to ensure their place in the pantheon of Rock and Roll.”

    Who else is in the new movie?

    Sir Paul McCartney, in Studio 2 Abbey Road in 'If These Walls Could Sing.'
    Sir Paul McCartney, in Studio 2 Abbey Road in ‘If These Walls Could Sing.’ Credit: Mary McCartney.

    Given Tap’s wide influence on music (albeit in a comedy sense), it’s perhaps not surprising that a variety of famous faces from the world of music would want to cameo. We can expect to see the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood show up, though the hope is that the cameos don’t detract from the main trio.

    Related Article: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer Returning for ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel

    When will the next ‘Spinal Tap’ be in theaters?

    The ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel (could it be called ‘This is Spinal Tap… Again’? –– Rob, call us, we’ll figure out a payment plan for that idea) has yet to announce a release date.

    'This Is Spinal Tap.'
    ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

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    Buy ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Music On Amazon

  • ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel to Shoot Next Year

    Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest
    (L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    Preview:

    • Director Rob Reiner says he’s preparing to shoot the ‘Spinal Tap’ sequel in February.
    • Stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer will all reprise their roles.
    • Reiner is likening the tone to Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz’ documentary.

    ‘Spinal Tap’ fans, prepare to set your excitement dial to 11. Why so? After years of teasing and talking about it, the team behind the legendary mockumentary are officially getting the band back together on big screens for a sequel.

    At least, that’s what director Rob Reiner –– who also appeared in the original as faux documentarian Martin “Marty” Di Bergi –– is saying, when asked for an update on the sequel.

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    What was the story of ‘This is Spinal Tap’?

    Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    To give its full title, ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a mock doc following the titular heavy metal band around as they tour their new album. The madness that ensues includes them being second billing to a puppet show, a Stonehenge prop designed to entirely wrong specifications and much talk of the fates to befall various former drummers.

    The film stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer as the main members of the band, David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls, and while there was an outline for each scene and certain points that had to be hit, a lot of the movie was improvised by the cast.

    Released in 1984, it makes regular appearances on or atop Best Comedy lists and was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry and deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress.

    Since the original film, there has been a DVD sequel, ‘The Return of Spinal Tap’, and an album, ‘Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead’ arrived in 2009.

    The band has also toured a few times, but this marks the full reunion of Reiner with his stars.

    Related Article: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer Returning for ‘Spinal Tap’ Sequel

    What is Rob Reiner saying about the new sequel?

    Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in 'This Is Spinal Tap.'
    (L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

    Talking to comedian Richard Herring on his ‘RHLSTP with Richard Herring’ podcast, Reiner talked about the planned schedule for the new movie:

    “We’re making a sequel. We’re going to start shooting in the end of February and everybody is back.”

    Reiner hinted that the plan for the film is to mimic the style of Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz,’ the legendary concert film that documented the farewell tour of the Canadian American rock group The Band.

    And from the sound of it, it’ll be a farewell to the Tap. At least, for now. Here’s what Reiner said:

    “You don’t want to overstay your welcome. This is like stand-up — you leave them wanting. You go off on a big laugh and go out. The worst thing you could do is just load it up with, even if they’re funny things, they may be tangents and things that take away from the drive of the film.”

    In the same interview, Reiner revealed that the likes of music icons Paul McCartney and Elton John would make an appearance in the new movie, representing just two people in the industry who are big fans of the original.

    When will the next ‘Spinal Tap’ be in theaters?

    While the movie had been scheduled for March 19, 2024, the actors’ strike put an end to that. As it stands, the film does not have a release date set.

    Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in 'This Is Spinal Tap.'
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’ Photo: Embassy Pictures.

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    Buy ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Music On Amazon

  • Rob Reiner Making ‘This is Spinal Tap’ Sequel

    Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean
    (L to R) Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’

    ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ is widely considered to be one of the funniest movies of all time. Comedians cite it as a huge influence and musicians are quick to praise it too.

    The pressure, then, to make a sequel to the 1984 release must have been huge on director Rob Reiner and stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer, who largely improvised their way through comic chaos, undersized set designs and an ever-changing roster of drummers as England’s “loudest” band go on tour.

    While all involved have resisted such ideas until, Guest, McKean and Shearer have toured from time to time. Yet with the 40th anniversary of the first movie approaching in a couple of years, Reiner and co. have come up with something, sprung partly from those real-world concerts (or the relative lack of recent gig).

    The plan is to do a sequel that comes out on the 40th anniversary of the original film and I can tell you hardly a day goes by without someone saying, why don’t you do another one? For so many years, we said, ‘nah.’” Reiner tells Deadline. “It wasn’t until we came up with the right idea how to do this. You don’t want to just do it, to do it. You want to honor the first one and push it a little further with the story.”

    Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest
    (L to R) Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in ‘This Is Spinal Tap.’

    And that idea? “They’ve played Albert Hall, played Wembley Stadium, all over the country and in Europe,” Reiner said. “They haven’t spent any time together recently, and that became the premise. The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. Ian’s widow inherited a contract that said Spinal Tap owed them one more concert. She was basically going to sue them if they didn’t. All these years and a lot of bad blood we’ll get into, and they’re thrown back together and forced to deal with each other and play this concert.”

    The band aren’t the only ones returning as Reiner, in addition to directing once more, will also grace the screen again as Marty DiBergi, the fake filmmaker who was chronicling the band’s latest tour in the mock-rock-doc. Turns out, there’s some ill will there too… “The band was upset with the first film. They thought I did a hatchet job, and this is a chance to redeem myself,” says Reiner of his character. “I am such a big fan and I felt bad they didn’t like what they saw in the first film. When I heard they might get back together, I was a visiting adjunct teacher’s helper at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts. I drop everything to document this final concert.”

    While returning to the world of a nailed-down comedy classic invites unwelcome comparisons and the risk of tarnished legacies, the idea of this bunch making merry, and music, again certainly appeals.

    The original will be screened at the Cannes Festival next week as part of the Cinema de la Plage sidebar, and rights to distribute the sequel will be on sale. The current plan is to have the new movie in theaters on March 19th, 2024. No word yet on whether it’ll have to share the bill with a puppet show.

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  • Harry Shearer Is Suing for $125 Million in ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Profits

    Yeah, this lawsuit goes way past 11. Harry Shearer took to Twitter to explain his “fairness” mission when it comes to suing for profits from “This Is Spinal Tap.”

    Shearer played Derek Smalls in director Rob Reiner’s 1984 classic — which co-starred Christopher Guest and Michael McKean — and he is also credited as one of the co-writers and co-creators of the music. According to the Wall Street Journal, Shearer filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that he and his co-creators have been stiffed of profits for years. Through his production company, he’s asking for $125 million in compensatory and punitive damages from Vivendi SA (which owns the movie rights) and its StudioCanal subsidiary.

    Shearer (now potentially more famous for voicing so many characters on “The Simpsons”) has turned his Twitter into headquarters for the lawsuit, posting videos and directing people to a site called Fairness Rocks, where he explains more of his intentions:


    Here’s what’s posted on the homepage of Fairness Rocks:

    This US legal complaint is important for all creators and artists
    Popular music and films make huge money for rights-owning corporations.
    Yet, too often, the artists and creators get a raw deal from exploitation of their talent.
    I want to help rebalance this equation.

    My case against Vivendi is simple, if perhaps a little shocking.

    It’s been 34 years since This Is Spinal Tap was released.

    Yet, the creators have been told that global music sales from the soundtrack album total just US$98.
    We’re also, apparently, only entitled to share US$81 (between us) from global merchandising sales.

    This shocks me, given Tap’s enduring popularity.

    So, Vivendi – it’s not a big ask. Just show us how you’re exploiting our creative work and pay us a fair share.
    #FairnessRocks

    If you’re a fellow creator, the information on this site may be of interest.
    The rights campaigners listed here may well be able to help you.
    Good luck.

    Sounds like he’s livin’ in a hell hole (sorry) so best of luck in whatever happens from here. At least he’s making his point.

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  • Excellent: Harry Shearer Will Return to ‘The Simpsons’ After All

    The American Cinematheque Presents "In Kovacsland: A Tribute To Ernie Kovacs"After a very public contract dispute, “The Simpsons” star Harry Shearer will be back for the show’s 27th season.

    Entertainment Weekly reports that Shearer has just inked a deal to revive his large, beloved cast of characters — including Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, and many more — for the next season, and beyond. The site writes:

    Shearer has signed the same contract as did the other five primary voice actors—Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, and Hank Azaria—keeping the show’s original cast fully intact, EW has learned. These deals, which run for four seasons (including a network option for seasons 29 and 30), are estimated at more than $300,000 per episode. Fox recently renewed The Simpsons for a 27th and 28th season, which will bring its episode tally to 625.

    Shearer caused a firestorm back in May when he announced on Twitter that he was leaving the long-running animated program. The actor had indicated that he would not return to the show because he was being kept from pursuing outside projects, though “Simpsons” producer Al Jean disputed that claim. According to an Entertainment Weekly report from the time, Shearer’s packed scheduled was the real culprit, with the actor allegedly refusing to record his dialogue in a timely manner.

    The plan had been to replace Shearer with other voice actors, rather than kill off his trove of characters, but Jean had indicated that he hoped the actor would reconsider and return to the show. EW reports that while negotiations with Shearer continued, production on season 27 of the show did indeed begin without the actor, though the show “already had seven holdover episodes from last season in the can, and those include Shearer’s voices.”

    “Shearer’s deal was completed in enough time to avoid [recasting the roles],” EW reports, “and his temporary absence behind the scenes will not be significantly felt on the new season.”

    We’re glad that Shearer finally agreed to return, and that “The Simpsons” will both look and sound the same when it returns this fall. Season 27 is set to premiere on September 27 on Fox.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • 6 Things You Won’t See Anymore on Network TV

    This week’s “upfront” presentations, where the TV networks touted their 2015-16 slates to advertisers, told us a lot about what we”ll be seeing this fall — and in the next couple of years, for that matter. What went unmentioned, of course, is what we won’t be seeing.

    It’s not just shows that have been canceled, including some that have been on the air since forever. It’s also some seemingly indispensable performers and even entire genres of TV fare that are disappearing. Here are some of the things you’ll be missing on broadcast TV in the near future.

    “American Idol” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Yeah, we still have one more season of “Idol”‘ which Fox is pretending is a victory lap instead of a last-gasp cash grab. Is anyone going to be sorry to see it go? Is anyone still entertained by the witticisms of Ryan Seacrest, the sparkling repartee among the judges, or the nail-biting competition for an increasingly worthless prize? It’s been a long time since “Idol” was a star factory, a show where even a seventh-place finisher like Jennifer Hudson could parlay her appearances on the series into a substantive showbiz career. But weep not for “Idol.” It may be succumbing the brutal dictates of its own dependence on the collective wisdom of the viewers, but at least its copycats — notably, “The Voice” — live on. And it’s not just reality/competition TV. We also have “Idol” to thank for such music-driven scripted “Glee,” “Nashville,” “Empire,” and the “Pitch Perfect” movies. That “Idol” couldn’t keep up with any of those probably says more about the way we watch TV now — who has time to invest in several hours of live appointment-TV anymore? — than it does about “Idol.”

    So it is, too, with “CSI,” which, after its big two-hour September finale (William Petersen is reportedly emerging from cryogenic slumber to return for the wrap-up), will be survived by both direct offspring (“CSI: Cyber,” a title that would have been really cool in 1994) and by CBS’ many copycat series, from “Criminal Minds” to the entire “NCIS” franchise. Like “Idol,” “CSI” invented a new genre, the forensic-team crime procedural, and it managed to run for 15 seasons even as its zippier stepchildren outraced it. So I don’t think viewers will miss it much since, like those crime-scene stains that become visible under black light, its lingering traces will long remain apparent and hard to eradicate.

    Harry Shearer. It’s bad enough that the 26-year veteran of “The Simpsons” won’t be around anymore to voice Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Rev. Lovejoy, Principal Skinner, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert, and seemingly dozens of other beloved characters. After all, the show plans to keep the characters, meaning Fox thinks it can actually find someone to replace Shearer. But then, this means, in his contract dispute with the show’s makers, Shearer overestimated his value to them. (The sticking point of the deal wasn’t money but schedule flexibility, both sides have said.) That doesn’t bode well for the future of the series. Either the producers think they can do the show on the cheap, without accommodating a mainstay of the series in his request for “what we’ve always had: the freedom to do other work,” or the folks behind the show are unwilling or unable to make available the resources the show needs (they already cut costs four years ago, forcing the six starts to take a hefty pay cut), or they don’t care.. None of these alternatives indicate long-term confidence on Fox’s part in the future of the series. The network has renewed it for two more seasons, but Shearer’s departure certainly looks like the beginning of the end. Yeah, “The SImpsons” may be one of those shows, like “Idol” and “CSI,” that has been enormously influential while outliving its own popularity, and maybe we won’t miss it when it’s gone because it’ll be in reruns forever. But maybe the void will be so great that we can’t even imagine it now.

    Autobiographical sitcoms starring women of color. Farewell to Fox’s “The Mindy Project” and to ABC’s “Cristela.” Now, their absence doesn’t mean that the networks have lost confidence in female showrunners of color; indeed, Shonda Rhimes is increasing her domination of ABC with a new drama next season, “The Catch.” But Mindy Kaling’s show, despite its low ratings, seemed to appeal to the kind of affluent, city-dwelling, youthful viewers that sponsors would pay extra to reach. (Maybe that’s why Hulu is considering picking it up.) No such luck for Cristela Alonzo, who, beside having the burden of trying to create a hit on the TV desert of Friday night, also had to get viewers and sponsors interested in the life challenges of a blue-collar woman. As Alonzo noted in a tweet last week, “You can’t make people get something they haven’t lived.” Well, you certainly can’t if the networks won’t air it. Sure, The CW still has “Jane the Virgin,” but otherwise, there are now two fewer opportunities for viewers to “get” the lives of people who may have different backgrounds from their own — or, if you do share a background, to not feel invisible in the culture that television reflects back to you.

    Sitcoms in general. Much has been written this week about how NBC — once the home of Must-See Thursday, once the home of “Cheers,” “The Cosby Show,” “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “The Office,” “30 Rock,” and “Parks & Recreation” — is only going to air two sitcoms this fall, both on Fridays. Yeah, they’ll have Neil Patrick Harris’ variety show for a few weeks, but otherwise, the Peacock Network seems to have all but given up on scripted comedy. Less mentioned is that other networks are following suit.

    CBS is keeping only two of its current comedies, “The Big Bang Theory” and “Mom” and adding two more; all will air on Thursday, leaving the Eye network comedy-free on six nights out of seven. Fox is corralling five of its comedies on Sunday and adding two new ones on Tuesday (three if you count hour-long tongue-in-cheek slasher-movie send-up “Scream Queens”), but the network is also canceling three sitcoms and holding back “New Girl” (now its signature live-action sitcom) and two more new comedies until winter. And the CW, which hasn’t had any sitcoms for ages (no, “Jane the Virgin” doesn’t count), is still not going to have any.

    The comedy news isn’t all bad. ABC is adding four of them, two of which (“The Muppets” and “The Real O’Neals”) actually look good. So it’ll have a total of 10 sitcoms, including its Wednesday bloc of four, anchored by “Modern Family.” As for NBC, it does have more comedies planned for midseason, including its reboot of “Coach,” a sitcom that may have given you a chuckle or two 20 years ago. And the one sitcom that NBC didn’t cancel, “Undateable,” will be doing all its episodes live, which could add some edge.

    Still, it wasn’t long ago that NBC announced it would stop making niche comedies (sorry, “Community” fans) and try to make more lowest common denominator broadly appealing sitcoms. But NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke told Entertainment Weekly that the network couldn’t even find any of those, “and we were turning over all the stones.” (Of course, they could have had “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” but they passed and let Tina Fey take it to Netflix.)

    Why are good new comedies so hard to find? Could it be that creating a show safe enough not to offend or alienate anyone means making a comedy too bland to be funny? Is the single-camera, documentary-style sitcom format as played out as the multi-camera, studio-bound format? (“The Muppets” trailer openly jokes that this is the case.) Or have we simply become so wise to formula that we’re all just waiting for the next game-changer, the next “Cosby” or “Seinfeld” or “Office” that will come along to save the genre from irrelevance once more?

    David Letterman. Not news, of course, Still hurts.
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