Reviews
by George Vernadakis and R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 2/9/2009 2:00:00 AM
AARON STONE
(Disney Channel, Friday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.)
Charlie Landers’s conversion from teenaged online gamer to real-life superhero marks another conversion of sorts. That’s because the network premiere of live-action series Aaron Stone helps usher in the rebranding of the Toon Disney channel as Disney XD.
While the Disney Channel’s success is fueled largely by girl-targeted shows such as Hannah Montana, Disney XD is going after boys ages 6-14, with a mix of action, gaming, tech, music and sports — all of which, to some degree, are part of the mix in Stone.
Landers (Kelly Blatz) may not be able to score the winning hoop for his school basketball team, but he (or rather, his avatar “Aaron Stone”) is reigning champ of the popular online game “Hero Rising.” Unbeknownst to its players, “Hero Rising” is a reclusive billionaire’s covert training ground to recruit real-life secret agents. Outfitted with gadgetry and an android sidekick, Landers soon finds himself called upon to foil a supervillain’s plot for world domination.
Created by Bruce Kalish, the series breaks no new ground but delivers a likable entertainment that should strike a chord with fans of young superhero shows such as Cartoon Network’s Ben 10.
Disney XD officially goes live at midnight on Feb. 13 with the animated show Phineas and Ferb.
— George Vernadakis
EASTBOUND & DOWN
(HBO, Sunday, Feb. 15, 10:30 p.m.)
HBO is pitching its viewers on Eastbound & Down, a new baseball-themed comedy series, but its delivery is wide of the mark.
The Will Ferrell-produced series stars Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder) as Kenny Powers, a-can’t-miss pitching prospect who, as a rookie reliever, helps lead his team to the championship.
But the fame and fortune that followed his early success proved to be too much for the foul-mouthed, egomaniacal Powers, whose fast living eventually burns out his lively pitching arm and eventually his pro baseball career.
Broke and with nowhere to go, Powers returns to his small town roots in North Carolina to stay with his brother Dustin (John Hawkes). He reluctantly takes a job as a substitute phys ed teacher at his old middle school, where his often offensive demeanor clashes with the small-town values of his students and colleagues.
While the show has a few funny scenes, the dialogue is sophomoric, and the cartoonish Powers is neither appealing nor revolting enough for viewers to become attached to. Future episodes will feature cameo appearances from Ferrell, which can only help keep the show from striking out with viewers.
— R. Thomas Umstead
Disney XD Comes Out Of Gate Strong
02/15/2009Review: Aaron Stone
02/13/2009Where Disney Hopes The Boys Are: Disney XD
08/07/2008Disney XD Unwraps On Friday The 13 th
01/07/2009
