Tot TV Watch

Earlier this month I posted about the Wizards vs. Vampires programming event coming up. Now here is a friendly reminder that the special four episode plot begins with its first episode tomorrow and continues with a new episode each Friday for another three weeks. Read more about this event in my original post about it here.

Kim Possible The Secret Files is sort of a put together movie of three episodes from the Kim Possible series. It has a really odd 3D version of Ron’s naked mole rat taking control of the Kimmunicator to connect the three episodes of three different missions to some extent. It is not exactly choppy, but it is not exactly a smooth actual movie. Anyways the show is a fun secret agent action show that appeals to both genders and this somewhat awkward wanna be movie of previously aired episodes does not ruin the fact that the shows are enjoyable. Plus this release has the show’s first episode “Crush” as a bonus feature.

Besides the bonus episode of Kim Possible there are also two other special features. One is Kim’s Most Wanted Wacko Bad Guys, which is sort of a game of using the right passwords to access villains’ secret files. It is not much of a game, though, as you just click Rufus and he gives away the code. You then enter it and a short video clip about the villain plays. The other bonus feature is Kim Possible Music Video with Christy Carlson Romano (voice of Kim Possible) singing “Say the Word.”

Overall this is a pretty good release for fans of the show and to introduce new fans to the show. However, it is not all that much more to it than if you just catch the show on television, which I believe is still possible quite regularly.

Check out the other TV on DVD reviews I have blogged about here.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our July 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

Today Disney announced in a press release that they have ordered episodes of a new show called Good Luck Charlie for the Disney Channel. This new show is being categorized as a live action comedy series. The show is expected to being production in August 2009. The first episode(s) of the show are planned to premiere sometime in 2010.

Good Luck Charlie will star Bridgit Mendler (plays Justin’s vampire girlfriend in the upcoming Wizards vs. Vampires episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place) as Teddy Holliday, Jason Dolley (acted in Hatching Pete and Corey in the House) as Casey Holliday, Bradley Steven Perry as Gabe Holliday, Eric Allan Kramer as Bob Holliday, and Leigh Allyn Baker as Amy Holliday. The show is about the Holliday family’s daily life, as it sort of revolves around the fourth child, Charlotte (i.e. Charlie), who is a baby. In the show the parents Bob and Amy return to work full time and the teenagers Teddy and Casey along with their 10-year-old brother Gabe help take care of Charlotte. The show sounds like it will not just be about taking care of Charlotte, but also the teenagers trying to still have a typical teenage life.

The reason for the show being called Good Luck Charlie seems to relate to how their will be a video diary in each episode made by Teddy for Charlotte. The video diary will be about Teddy’s daily adventures and mishaps in order to later serve as advice for Charlotte later when Teddy has moved out.

Good Luck Charlie sounds like an interesting show premise. I certainly plan on watching it whenever it finally airs on the Disney Channel in 2010. I doubt it can be worse than the recent J.O.N.A.S. and Sonny With a Chance.

Just a few days ago I found the press release about the Wizards of Waverly Place show having a special series of four episodes airing every Friday starting July 24, 2009. Now today Disney released another press release related to the Wizards of Waverly Place. This release is about the upcoming full length Disney Channel Original Movie based on the show. This is a movie I have sort of know about for a while and originally I thought it would come out as part of Wiztober 2009 or whatever they are calling the October lineup this year. Instead, though, it is coming out a little more than a month before I expected with a premiere date of August 28, 2009.

The movie is simply called Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie. In the movie the Russo family goes on vacation to the Caribbean. While on vacation Alex accidentally casts a spell that changes the past so that her parents never met and they do not recognize their kids because the three of them would not exist if their parents never met. They (I think just the Russo kids) go on an adventure quest to find the Stone of Dreams that is hidden in the jungle in order to reverse the spell and save their family.

Leading up the movie premiere Selena Gomez (Monday), Jake T. Austin (Tuesday), Jennifer Stone (Wednesday), and David Henrie (Thursday) will share their favorite four episodes of the show starting at 6pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time Monday, August 24, 2009, through Thursday, August 27, 2009. The 16 episodes will all then reair starting at 12pm on Friday, August 28, and lead up to the movie premiering at 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time.

The movie will have two encore presentations the weekend it premieres. On Saturday, August 29, 2009, the encore presentation will feature behind-the-scenes features about the movies special effects. The Sunday, August 30, 2009, encore presentation will include sneak peeks of upcoming episodes of the show.

I just read the press release announcing that production for the Camp Rock sequel is to begin later this summer. There has been info that a sequel was coming pretty much before the first one even aired on the Disney Channel last summer. I think at one time I read the sequel might be a theater release, but it seems it is going to be a Disney Channel Original Movie like the first movie was. The sequel’s title is Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. The sequel is expected to premiere on the Disney Channel sometime in 2010.

The sequel is about many of the same campers returning for another summer of music at Camp Rock. Some of the returning characters include Mitchie, Shane, Jason, and Nate (characters played by Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers). The episode is an overdone one about the camp being in jeopardy of closing because of a rival camp called Camp Star opening up across the lake. The hotshot performer from Camp Star is named Luke (played by Matthew “Mdot” Finley).

Luke challenges Camp Rock to a music showdown to see which camp has the best musical talent. Thus it seems the plot is mostly about getting ready for this battle of the bands or at least that is a big chunk of the plot along with the actually showdown between the two schools. Meanwhile Nate ends up falling in love with the daughter of the owner of Camp Star beginning a Romeo and Juliet type romance.

I am not much into the music movies unless you count Hannah Montana as one. Main thing is that I do not like that much hip hop, pop, rock, or R&B, which is the genres featured in this movie. It is not that I do not like any of those genres at all, but just in general I do not have much interest in them. The first Camp Rock was not entirely horrible, but I cannot imagine the sequel being any better.

Starting on Friday, July 24, 2009, there will be a special four episode plot of Wizards of Waverly Place episodes. The set of episodes are called Wizards of Waverly Place: Wizards vs. Vampires and starts at 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time every Friday for four weeks with the final episode airing on August 14, 2009. This four episode event is basically about the Russo wizard family dealing with the Van Heusens vampire family that owns a rival sandwich shop. Below is the four episode line up.

Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time - “Wizards vs. Vampires on Waverly Place” is a special 45 minutes episode to start the programming event. In this episode business begins to slow down at the Waverly Sub Station. Justin is sent to spy on the new sub shop that is taking their business away and ends up falling in love with the vampire owners’ daughter, Juliet.

Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time - “Wizards vs. Vampires: Tasty Bites” is about Justin’s new girlfriend, Juliet, helping the Russos to begin to live a healthier lifestyle. Alex believes that Juliet has hidden intentions in helping them live healthier because vampires like healthy blood.

Friday, August 7, 2009 @ 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time - “Wizards vs. Vampires: Dream Date” is about Dean moving away and dates him by entering his dreams. They then go on a real date that is not as good and she tries to break up with him. Justin is forced to tell Juliet that he is not allowed to go on her family camping trip.

Friday, August 14, 2009 @ 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time - “Wizards & Vampires vs. Zombies” is about Justin convincing Juliet their prom date will be the most memorable ever. Alex plans an anti-prom with a Zombie theme. Real zombies show up and the wizards and vampires team up to get rid of the zombies.

Cory in the House All-Star Edition contains four episodes of Disney Channel’s Cory in the House live action comedy show. It is one of my favorite Disney Channel show’s, as it is based in D.C., which is my favorite city. The show is also full of laughs. While the show and the episodes on this release are great, the release is disappointing because it does not offer much worthwhile beyond the episodes.

The episodes on this release include “Never the Dwayne Shall Meet” with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson guest starring, “That’s So in the House” with Raven Symone guest starring, “Air Force One Too Many,” and “Just Desserts.” The show are among some of Cory’s crazier mishaps including accidentally giving Alaska back to Russia in “Air Force One Too Many.”

This release does have two bonus feautures called “Raven in the House” and “Rock in the House,” but neither really adds much to this release. Raven in the House is quick featurette that I think was originally aired on the Disney Channel as a sort of promo for the episode. It is mostly Raven talking about being a quest of the show and reprising her role as Cory’s sister Raven as she was in her title show, That’s So Raven. Rock in the House is also a quick featurette about a guest star, but it is far more simpler and really is mostly just a promo for the episode with just a few scenes of them doing takes, but very little of them saying anything that is not actually in the episode’s script.

Overall great for those that love the show and want to be able to watch it when it is not on television, but do not expect anything beyond the episodes because the bonus features really leave much to be desired.

Check out the other TV on DVD reviews I have blogged about here.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our July 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

The latest Disney Channel Original Movie just premiered last weekend on the Disney Channel. I am on the road this summer and Disney Channel is impossible to get even in the few hotels we are staying at, so I decided to just buy it on DVD when it came out yesterday. I was not disappointed in the movie, however I was kind of disappointed in the minimal special features on the DVD release. For a movie so fresh in the minds of those that watched it last weekend it probably is not worth going out and buying it on DVD. They really should have either waited longer to release it (i.e. when it becomes aired infrequently) or at least have put an audio commentary bonus feature or perhaps even just a DVD game.

The plot is a unique princess plot that I found entertaining throughout. I am not much into fairy tale princess stories, but the more realistic ones like this and the Princess Diaries (okay that one is also a little more on the fairy tale side than this one). I thought it would perhaps be a little too much about Princess Rosalina/Rosie being a spoiled princess type person, but it is not. Actually, it is not that much about her and is way more about her and Carter (daughter of the Princess Protection Program agent) learning from each other and becoming best of friends.

Overall enjoyable movie, but again not worth buying unless you really want to watch it often. The special features only include a featurette about the cast becoming friends on set, a featurette about a real princess, and a music video of “One and the Same.” The release also comes with two best friends necklaces.

Check out the other TV on DVD reviews I have blogged about here.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our July 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

Disney Channel has some great triple crossover specials before, such as “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana” and the Wish Gone Amiss specials. On July 17, 2009, another triple crossover special will premiere on the Disney Channel. This new crossover special is called “Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana.” The special will feature the characters from Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and The Suite Life on Deck.

The special begins at 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time on July 17, 2009, with the “Cast Away (To Another show)” episode about Justin from Wizards of Waverly Place getting the chance to meet London Tipton when he wins a trip on the SS Tipton as an essay contest prize. Alex and Max also are along on the cruise. Alex makes friends with Bailey, but causes trouble when she brings Harper aboard using magic. Max and Zack compete in a series of competitions.

The second episode is at 8:30pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time and is called “Double-Crossed.” In this episode Hannah Montana comes aboard the SS Tipton to get to a concert in Honolulu. Cody tries to impress Bailey by getting Woody to help him score some Hannah Montana concert tickets. The Russos are still on board in this episode and their use of magic includes Max introducing London to a magic suitcase.

The final episode of the triple crossover is at 9pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time and is called “Double-Crossed.” In this episode Miley loses her lucky charm bracelet she got from her mother and things begin to go wrong without her lucky charm. Cody tells Bailey that he is friends with Hannah and that he will get her great seats to a Hannah concert.

DisneyChannel.com is having a special promotion related to this triple crossover episode. The promotion is called Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes. Prizes will include props from the three shows. You will be able to enter the sweepstakes by finding a list of scavenger hunt items on the website and then watching Disney Channel every night at 8pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time from Sunday, July 12, 2009, through Friday, July 17, 2009, to find the scavenger hunt items. You get entered into the sweepstakes by correctly answering all the scavenger hunt questions correctly.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our June 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

Princess Protection Program is the latest Disney Channel Original Movie. It premieres tomorrow night, June 26, 2009, on the Disney Channel. It is technically just the United States premiere of this movie, as it has already shown in several European countries. Also, interesting is that this movie is getting a very quick DVD release with is coming out on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Princess Protection Program sounds like an entertaining plot and I actually think this might be a great Disney Channel movie. Probably the best they have premiered so far this year, but that is not too hard, especially since I really think Hatching Pete stunk.

Princess Protection Program is about Princess Rosalinda (played by Demi Lovato) entering the Princess Protection Program (a witness protection like program for royalty) and being placed in Louisiana after her country is invaded by an evil dictator. She is placed with Mason and his daughter, Carter (played by Selena Gomez). Carter, a tomboy, helps Rosie (name she goes by in the Princess Protection Program) become a normal American teenage girl while Rosie helps Carter discover her inner princess.

The special weekend premiere of this movie is hosted by Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato. The weekend with include some sneak peak stuff on Friday that includes looks at an upcoming hour long Hannah Montana special, the “Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana” crossover event, and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie. Saturday viewers are asked to count how many times princess is said during the movie and then unlock new episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny with a Chance on Disney Channel’s website. Sunday there is a sneak peak of the upcoming Disney movie The Princess and the Frog.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our June 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

The Suite Life of Zach & Cody Circle of Spies for Nintendo DS is a game featuring the characters from Disney’s The Suite Life of Zach & Cody show. It has a story mode and mini games mode. The story mode is entirely unimpressive and awkward to figure out in my opinion. I do not know why I expected it to be easy/straightforward to play, as the other DS game for this show is annoys me at being hard to figure out within the first few levels to the point I have never played it again even though I actually own that version.

Basically it just is not well put together. The controls seem to work okay, but the execution is kind of hard to get the hang of and just does not always work the most logical or at least not to me. Sure adventure games should not be too easy, but it should not be entirely confusing either or at least not until later in the game.

The other thing about this game is the graphics are not that great. They could be better done in terms of the characters actually looking like themselves. The actually quality is not bad, but the not looking much like things should is just odd at times.

The only thing this game does good is have a few entertaining mini games. They are not much of anything to even make it worth renting, but they do add to it if you happen to be able to enjoy the adventure part as well, although I suspect those are the people who will not find the mini games anything interesting. The mini games include one with the walking Maddie through the hotel balancing cakes.

Do not forget to comment and get an entry in our June 2009 Comment Contest and have a chance to win a TV on DVD.

I finally got around to watching the premiere episode of JONAS that I had recorded last weekend. I was away without Disney until Tuesday and this show did not spike my interest until I got through some of my other more interesting recordings from last week. Thus upfront I must say I never expected much from this show and honestly thought of it to be a stinker from the beginning. Sad to say I pretty much was not disappointed.

It is not that JONAS is a horrible show, but it just does not have any aspects to make it entertaining to watch. It lacks any great drama to the plot line, such as teen dramas like Degrassi. It also lacks any comedy to make it entertaining and something I would want to watch, such as I like in Hannah Montana. Lastly it is really odd with the characters supposedly being openly famous, but overall living an extremely bland life. It just is unrealistically bland of a show. That and none of the characters are developed except perhaps Nick in this first episode to be able to connect with any of the characters, which is something that could make one come back to see what happens to a specific character.

Bottom line is this show is a major flop in my opinion and actually I am sort of surprised at how much so. I just thought I would not like it because it does crazy comedy stuff like Sonny with a Chance or is a crazy superstar thing like the movie star character that was in Hannah Montana for a few episodes.

Have you seen this show? What do you think of it?

The Camp Rock Down Under interstitial premieres on the Disney Channel tomorrow, May 8, 2009, at 7:55am Eastern Time/6:55am Central Time. This interstitial show is premiering a new episode almost every Friday (skips two Fridays in June and one in July) with the last episode premiering on August 7, 2009. This interstitial follows two teams competing in a real Camp Rock situation. The two teams are Team Australia and Team New Zealand, hence the Down Under part of the interstitial’s title. Below is a list of the episodes and their premiere dates.

May 8, 2009 - “Tracking the Teams” episode
May 15, 2009 - “Setting the Stakes” episode
May 22, 2009 - “Getting to Business” episode
May 29, 2009 - “First Up, Some Fun” episode
June 5, 2009 - “Climbing the Ladder” episode
June 12, 2009 - “Making the Moves” episode
June 19, 2009 - “Hitting it Hard” episode
July 3, 2009 - “Rapping and Rolling” episode
July 10, 2009 - “Perfecting the Performance” episode
July 24, 2009 - “The Winner Takes it All” episode
July 31, 2009 - “Tackling the Big Time” episode
August 7, 2009 - “Finale”

The newest Disney Channel original television series premieres tomorrow, May 2, 2009, on the Disney Channel. The newest series is called JONAS. The main characters are the Jonas Brothers, who take on the name the Lucas Brothers in the show. The whole snippet premise of the sounds kind of Hannah Montana like, as it is about them being famous band members while also trying to have ordinary lives. Of course, there is no double life aspect.

The show seems like it could be entertaining. Personally the only live action Disney Channel show that has not entertained me is Sonny with a Chance. Not to mention the similar Hannah Montana show is one of my favorites. However, I just do not think it will be as good as that show because really the interactions between Miley and her dad along with the secret life mishaps truly make the show. The only reason why I am not so sure about this show is that it seems like it could be like the Nickelodeon Naked Brothers Band show, which I cannot stand.

I do not feel this can really be called a review when it could not keep my attention enough, so I did not really watch Hatching Pete all that closely. It was so bad that the highlight was the preview for the next Disney Channel Original Movie, Princess Protection Program coming on June 26. Now that is at least one I look forward to. Perhaps the lack of interest in this in the first place is part of why I did not really like it, but it really was too bare bones of a plot.

The movie seems to basically just revolve around Pete wanting to date his best friend’s sister and being the mascot as a favor for his best friend, who is allergic to the suit and promises to help him get a date with his sister. I guess it is not entirely horrible, but the whole thing is way too much just random basketball game mascot craziness leaving not much room for character development or anything. It just seems like a kind of drawn out movie plot that would have served better as a half hour special. Honestly I felt ready to turn it off before it was even half over and the only other movie I felt like this with was Wall-e, but perhaps that means this is an awesome movie in others minds, however some how I think it is seen very different and it does not have that much of an appeal. Wall-e turns out to have a decent ending, but I do not have the patience to wade through this movie to finish it until maybe later this weekend, however, I am in no rush and tempted to just delete from my DVR.