‘Red Band Society’ Premiere: Three Things to Expect

“Red Band Society” lured me in with its sneak preview of the first episode. The teen-centric show manages to convey a sense of lightness, normalcy, and hope while a dark veil of reality looms over Ocean Park Hospital. The vibe readily shifts from grim as two characters tease each other about their maladies to saccharine lines that make Little Orphan Annie seem emo.

Hospital Protocol Doesn’t Apply

From “E.R.” to “Grey’s Anatomy,” hospital shows have a long history of using painstakingly accurate medical jargon and procedures to enrich their storylines.  Expect a more lax approach from “Red Band Society.” Its pediatric ward is more like a college dorm or apartment complex with spacious rooms and lots of freedom. Seemingly absentee parents leave the patients to turn to each other for support.

Some of the medical details and finer points get a bit fuzzy (Doesn’t the vital info on hospital bands keep patients from swapping them like friendship bracelets? Why are a teen girl and tween boy rooming together?), but this ultimately works in the show’s favor since it leaves the story free to evolve without succumbing to the stringent constraints of true-to-life medical dramas.

Astro is Prominent

You may remember Brian “Astro” Bradley as the “astronomical” teen rapper from the first season of “X-Factor.” Now he is a bonafide actor with “Person of Interest” and the extraterrestrial movie, “Earth to Echo” on his resume.  His “Red Band Society” role definitely has shades of his own swagger and personality, but it works out since it meshes with his character, Dash.

The show's other familiar faces include Octavia Spencer (“The Help”), Dave Annable (“666 Park”), Wilson Cruz (“My So Called Life”), Ciara Bravo(“Big Time Rush”), Griffin Gluck (“Back in the Game”), Charlie Rowe (“Pirate Radio”), Zoe Levin (“The Way Way Back”), and Nolan Sotillo (“Prom”).

It’s a Bit Like ‘Glee’

“Red Band Society” relies on archetypes a la “Glee” or “The Breakfast Club” and tosses in an in-hospital classroom to mimic the standard high school dynamics. It isn’t quite as quirky as “Glee,” but it has a similar sense of humor with touches of irony. (When the mean queen cheerleader passes out at practice, the squad encircles her and snaps camera phone pics instead of offering first aid.)

Leo, who lost a leg to cancer, is the leader/jock type who is having some kind of inner turmoil (adult maturity?) that saps his confidence. Emma, who is hospitalized for an eating disorder, manages to shake her shy, brainy persona long enough to exchange insults with her ex, Leo. Hospitalized for cystic fibrosis, Dash is the party-starter and comic relief. Twelve-year-old Charlie is comatose, but serves as the omnipotent narrator who sometimes communicates telepathically. Mean girl Kara is new to the ward and shaking things up with her bad attitude. Her quick hospital pit stop leads to a dire diagnosis. Determined to find the best possible treatment for his cancer, newest patient Jordi illegally crossed the border. His medical challenges seem to rekindle Leo’s leadership skills.

Prognosis: I don’t expect to tune in regularly, but I’m open to routine check-ups.

“Red Band Society” airs Wednesdays on FOX.

'Raising Asia' premiere: Why is this 8-year-old dancer as fierce as a drag queen?

Lifetime is taking little Asia Monet Ray beyond "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" and "Dance Moms" to her very own docuseries, "Raising Asia." Mmk, it sounded like a decent idea for a reality show. The dance prodigy is a natural entertainer who seems interesting enough to carry her own show. It would be a light and uplifting with a bit of drama courtesy of her stage mom Kristie, right?

Wrong! The premiere episode of "Raising Asia" was tough to watch. The Ray family is split in half as Asia and Kristie travel the globe, often leaving dad and 5-year-old sister Bella Blu to fend for themselves. It is unsettling to listen to Kristie talk about helping Asia meet her potential when it seems to come at the family's expense.

Initially, Asia's commentary is upbeat and fun as she describes her family and their talents. It soon enters Bizzarro world as Kristie goes on to say people don't understand what it takes it to raise an extraordinary child like Asia. By the end of it, mom seems unreasonably controlling and peppy Asia sounds rather bratty. Plus, viewers are left to decipher mysteries like why Asia drinks from a toddler-style sippy cup and can't have egg yolks.

Is Asia the next Christina Aguilera?
Asia is the kind of performer whose sheer dedication and enthusiasm draw you in. She is an expressive child prodigy who doesn't need any gimmicks, but they keep trying to elevate her to some adult-level fierceness worthy of RuPaul's TV shows. Her team, particularly Anthony Burrell, can't seem to navigate the huge variety of age-appropriate dance styles that fall somewhere between Shirley Temple and dirty girl Xtina.

Somehow, mom and Anthony decide it's a good idea for Asia to wear a pound of hair and makeup, knee boots, and a bikini as she wields a whip to imitate a lion tamer training a bunch of shirtless backup dancers who close the routine by pawing at her body. Lifetime edited it down a bit, but the uncomfortable tone of the dance remains the same.

The lion tamer concept is good fit for Asia's personality and style, but it needs careful tweaks. Her costume should be a bit more modest, the tiny top and tiny bottom were a bad combo. The repeated use of the whip and her hair as props hurt her performance as she stood on the stage posing instead of dancing. Her vampy moves were awkward, uncomfortable, and most of  all unnecessary since she knows how to command an audience with her dance skills.

Anthony is a creative choreographer, but his appearances on "Dance Moms" and "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" show that he seems to choreograph routines to suit himself, not the dancers. (Remember when he tried to make one of the Candy Apples wear a little Speedo as part of his Pinocchio costume?) His artistic vision works better as an abstract concept than a custom routine for a talented 8-year-old dancer.

"Raising Asia" continues its 14-episode stint Tuesday nights on Lifetime.

New to 'Girls'? Get Ready to Deal with Hannah's Wardrobe, Mental Meltdowns, and Nudity

Not being a regular HBO subscriber, or in possession of a borrowed password, I first encountered “Girls” as a marathon of Season 2 during a free promo weekend. I was already aware of the utterly cruel criticism of Lena Dunham’s physical appearance and the fact that some viewers grew weary of the characters by its sophomore season. Still, I wasn’t ready for the show I was about to experience.

Although I don't agree with it, I somewhat understand all the public criticism for Dunham's body. Name a show "Girls," air it on a premium cable network at night, and people like Howard Stern may have certain expectations. The thing is, Dunham's character, Hannah, has this haunting ability to sear her experiences into the viewer's brain. In particular, her wardrobe, mental meltdowns, and nudity bring the world of "Girls" to life.  

1. Hannah Dresses Like a Toddler
It’s refreshing that Hannah isn’t pouring herself into a scuba suit of shapewear to fit some supposed standard of beauty. I can embrace her comfy shoes, warm tights, unflattering skirts, and endless supply of sleeveless tops. But I draw the line at her playsuit. In case your self-preservation instincts filtered that image from your brain, here’s a refresher from the episode featuring her depressing encounter with Doctor Joshua.

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Where did that outfit come from? Did she make it in her middle school sewing class? Is it from the wardrobe for an abandoned sequel to “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid”? The problem isn’t that it’s unflattering or unstylish—that’s the norm for her—it’s that the distractingly hideous and impractical outfit took up so much screen time. The uncomfortable fit nearly gave me a sympathetic wedgie. Did she have to unbutton that top and untie the knot every time she needed to visit the loo? No wonder she’s struggling with “daggery” urine from UTIs.

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2. Hannah Makes You Feel Her Misery in the Most Unsympathetic Way
Some characters are so out of sync with the norm, we know they will regularly endure some form of humiliation, disaster, or ridicule. “Freaks and Geeks” was built on this theme. Even when it felt as though the characters seemed to deserve that embarrassment, there was always at least some vague sense of compassion or camaraderie as they braved situations that boiled down to universal life lessons and experiences.

“Girls” creates painfully palpable experiences that ultimately have no power because the characters don’t elicit my sympathy. Watching Hannah struggle with a writing deadline and awkwardly try to scoot across the hardwood floor while her bare thighs kept her anchored in place was mesmerizing. Certain that something was about to happen, I stared at the screen. Then she got a gnarly splinter in her rump. Ouch! But not really, because I didn’t care anymore. It quickly devolved into another Earth-shattering saga in the frustrating world of “Girls.”

At this point, she’s sort of like a “Seinfeld” character. Yep, she’s the new George Costanza--some weird amalgamation of selfish, uncaring behavior coupled with an intense sense of ego and neediness. But the gang of friends on “Seinfeld” kept it funny while “Girls” wallows in misery like an old Alanis Morissette song. How am I supposed to laugh at that?

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3. Hannah’s Nudity Draws You into Her World
So, why does Dunham have so much naked time? It breaks the barrier between the viewers and the character as she candidly exposes both her body and emotions. At times, it almost conveys the awkwardness that sums up Hannah’s entire life experience. But, as Laird declared in the Season 2 finale, there’s something rotten about her insides. Well, maybe not rotten. It would probably be more interesting if she was dark and twisty. Instead, she’s so simple and shallow that I’m growing weary of looking.

Season 3 of "Girls" premieres on HBO tonight.

'Homeland' Season 3 Premiere: 5 Burning Questions

The Season 3 premiere of “Homeland” focuses on the show’s original couple: Carrie and Saul.  This duo shares more tragedy, angst, tension, and twisted love than Brody and Carrie ever could. If you haven’t yet watched this Brody-free episode, watch it before reading the semi-spoilers below.

Did Saul really betray Carrie?
Saul, or maybe it’s Mandy Patinkin, always looks pensive. He’s a reluctant CIA member who feared being set up last season. Why would Dar Adal’s knowing glances nudge him to ambush Carrie? Is Saul secretly working on a noble mission?

Carrie has a newspaper subscription!?
Despite being a fan of the printed word, it’s jarring to see the newspaper play such a pivotal role on “Homeland.” A subscription doesn’t jibe with Carrie’s tech-savvy and chaotic lifestyle. Does she call in for vacation hold when she goes ‘round the bend or travels for missions? On second thought, she may need the paper so she can plaster the walls with elaborate theories.

Is Jessica the new Dana?
Dana 2.0 is far more likeable and sympathetic than the previous version, but it looks like Jessica may adopt her annoyed/annoying persona. During a chat with Dana’s doctor, she blankly rattles off the many problems facing the family. Jessica’s obviously not herself.

Her mom’s lending financial and moral support, or her version of it. She grumbles about Brody’s decisions, suggests a lawsuit against the Marines, and offends Dana. Jessica looks as though she is ready to erupt, or implode, at any second.

What will follow “The Wizard of Oz” strike?
So what if the agency killed six people linked to the bombing?  Don’t they have cohorts and underlings ready to take their places? Between Saul’s showboating in front of the media, and the committee's assertion that he authorized the assassination of civilians, he surely riled some unseen enemies.

How is Brody eluding authorities?
He is a famous POW, U.S. congressman, vice presidential candidate, and terrorist suspect. Although that combo may win him some resourceful allies, it's hard to fathom how such a famous and memorable person remains on the lam. 

"Homeland" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime.