Check out this nice little video on the all new Fringe airing Thursday at 8/7c on FOX. The episode called “The Bishop Revival” follows a toxin that is released to a group and how it relates to Walter’s old cases!
Archive for January, 2010
Starting on Wednesday, I will be off on a much needed vacation so expect some silence on the blog front. I will be back next week for of course the LOST premiere, and maybe even suspect some surprises as well!
Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson, Lily Tomlin, Campbell Scott, Tate Donavan, Martin Short, and more. What show could have more high power stars. Only FX’s insanely good Damages…
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
As Season 3 begins, a court has appointed Patty to recover assets lost in a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Louis Tobin (Len Cariou) while Ellen is working for the DA’s office, which will prosecute him. Tobin has admitted guilt, but insists that his wife and son (Lily Tomlin, Campbell Scott) knew nothing of his fraud. Meanwhile, a friendly but persistent architect (Keith Carradine) seeks out Patty in a bar; and in flash-forward, Patty’s car is rammed by another car.
Damages is plainly an intelligent, thought out, get your minds working, eyes popping show. It creates a world for its story, its characters, and its structure. Once again in Season 3, the series starts with a flashforward to a time in the future, and we slowly get there throughout the season. I was not a big fan of this technique when it was poorly used in the semi-disappointing season 2 but as I viewed the first two hours of the new season, I was captivated once again. That is mostly in part to the fantastic acting that I witness.
New to the show in the third year included the sublime Lily Tomlin, who is the matriarch of a family that was part of a huge Ponzi scheme that Patty Hewes (Close) is now trying to prosecute. Also new is the comedic actor Martin Short who plays a mighty tough lawyer, as well as Campbell Short as the son.
Martin Short as Winstone
In the end of Season 2, Ellen (Byrne) left Hewes and Associates after trying to take down the might Patty Hewes with help from the FBI. The new season picks up 6 months later and Ellen is now working at the New York DA’s office in the Narcotics unit but still keeps an eye on the happenings of Hewes and Associates through Tom Shayes (Tate Donavan). Rose Byrne is looking noticeably better this year, and she has grown on me as an actress as she is more and more becoming her own person.
Season 3 is a masterpiece of acting, story, and movement of plot. Rarely do shows uses their actors in more compromising, compelling situations, and that is no different in this seasons man family arc. Look for recurring roles from Reiko Alysworth (24) as Campbell Scott’s wife, as well as Ben Shenkman, Ellen’s new boss at the DA’s office.
Damages premieres tonight at 10/9c on FX!
If you have Showtime, make sure you are tuning in on Monday night with 3 premieres!
First at 10/9c, Secret Diary of a Call Girl returns for a third season which still follows Hanna aka Belle (Billie Piper) in her secret not so liked life. Here is a trailer of the new year.
Following at 10:30/9:30c is Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union, which is a sketch comedy show with Tracey potraying a crew of characters in varying stories. I have seen the premiere episode and it is rather funny thanks to Michael Jackson, texting, and Bernie Maddof. A great combo, and take a peek for yourself.
Completing the night is the new show La La Land, which chroncles British comedian Marc Wootton as her enters the Hollywood lifestyle in some unique roles. Take a look at tune in Monday on Showtime!
Showtime does a fantastic job at creating posters that capture the plot, characters, and tone of each of their fine shows. Coming on March 23rd, United States of Tara and Nurse Jackie return for second seasons. Here is their art!
There are three things to watch out for tonight:
Photo: Jewel Samad/ AFP/ Getty Images
Care: The “Hope for Haiti Now” telethon put on and hosted by George Clooney is airing tonight at 8 eastern/5 pacific on pretty much every network imaginable. It will be co-host by Anderson Cooper and Wyclef John, who will also perform alongside Beyonce, Madonna, Cobie Callait, John Legend, and more, more more. Of course stars the likes of Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts will chat and answer the phones. Its a great cause and donate!
Caprica: Battlestar Galactica has been a phenomenon for a very long time with the original series in the 1970’s but most recently with the reimagining of the series by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. They create a new universe of character, places, and events, and all those are continuing in the Syfy series Caprica (Tonight at 9/8c). Caprica takes place approximately 50 years before the events of BSG, leading up to the Cylon war. The series follows Daniel Graystone, as well as his wife Amanda, who are brilliant rich scientists in the city of Caprica. The two hour pilot which was released as a TV movie last year will be feature tonight, and I have seen the next two episodes which explore the world in more depth. From the humor (Patton Oswalt) to the serious (bombings), the series goes deep and it is compelling and interesting television. the star of the show is Paula Malcomson who plays Amanda, who has a momentous episode in two weeks, that will blow you away!
Check both out tonight!
Law dramas are not new, dramas about newbies aren’t either, will that combo in ABC’s The Deep End be worth a red circle on your DVR..
What ABC Says:
In a city where wealth and power rule, everyone strives to make it to the top. For five eager and attractive law associates, being accepted into one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious law firms is the first step on their way up. But as they soon realize, the law offices of Sterling are far more cutthroat than they could have ever imagined and they must fight for themselves and their clients to stay afloat in these shark infested waters.
These young and impressionable associates are immediately thrown into cases and forced to deal with the emotional and ethical decisions that come with the job they’ve worked so hard for. Dylan (Matt Long, “Jack and Bobby”) is given an impossible pro bono custody case, Beth (Leah Pipes, “Sorority Row”) keeps mum when a 90-year-old man signs an agreement thinking that she’s his daughter, Liam (Ben Lawson, “Neighbours”) must get a client to sign with the firm under false pretenses, Addy (Tina Majorino, “Big Love”) finally gets some attention from her boss when she speaks her mind, and Malcolm (Mehcad Brooks, “True Blood”) gets off on the wrong foot when he is hired outside of the firm’s traditional process.
While these five ambitious associates struggle to adjust their appetites and ideals to the fast-paced demands of their jobs, they’re faced with the warring partners at Sterling who hold the keys to their future, and a reluctant mentor, Rowdy (Norbert Leo Butz), who tries to guide them and the firm through the trenches. For Dylan, saving face with one partner in particular is much more difficult after he falls for the firm’s paralegal — unbeknownst to him, she’s already in bed with firm partner Cliff Huddle (Billy Zane, “Titanic”), who is married to fellow partner Susan Oppenheim (Nicole Ari Parker), and fighting for the soul of the firm with its namesake, Hart Sterling (Clancy Brown, “Carnivale”).
“The Deep End” stars Matt Long as “Dylan Hewitt,” Billy Zane as “Cliff Huddle,” Clancy Brown as “Hart Sterling,” Norbert Leo Butz as “Rowdy Kaiser,” Leah Pipes as “Beth Branford,” Tina Majorino as “Addy Fisher,” Ben Lawson as “Liam Priory,” Nicole Ari Parker as “Susan Oppenheim” and Mehcad Brooks as “Malcolm Bennet.”
My Thoughts:
There is no denying that the cast of this legal dramedy is nothing short of awesome. Lead by Matt Long, you is in one of my favorite dramas ever, WB’s short-lived Jack & Bobby, the cast features some veterans like the Clancy Brown (Lost), Billy Zane, and Nicole Ari Parker. Relative newcomers are also aplenty in Mehcad Brooks (Eggs in True Blood), the fun Tina Majorino (Big Love), and Rachelle Lefevre (Twilght, in a recurring role).
The cast, however, is used in the worst way possible, a convoluted mess, trying to be a drama, while being a fun comedy. The pilot packs so much story in forty minutes you don’t know where to look whether it is Dylan’s case, Liam’s affairs, or the partners arguing about nothing.
I think there is a reason this is the third incarnation of the show, first it featured Morrena Baccarin and Gail O’Grady, then Billy Zane was added, people were subtracted, and finally after a third re-shoot we get The Deep End. It’s just to bad it comes in a packed to the brim bag of clichés, and stereotypes that are just not worth an hour on the super busy Thursday night.
The Deep End airs tonight on ABC before Grey’s Anatomy at 8/7c.
If you were at all a fan of USA’s new drama White Collar you will want to tune in tonight on it’s new night, Tuesdaya at 10/9c!
The winter finale left us with the revelation that Peter (Tim Dekay) was metting with Neal’s (Matt Bomer) long lost love Kate in a New York hotel room.
What happens after this watercooler worthy ending, well we find out pretty fast into the new hour that resolves last year and starts a new chapter in Neal’s life.
White Collar airs tonight at 10/9c on USA!
Human Target
This day has been in the books for FOX for a very long time. Back in May, they announced that on January 17th the new season of 24 would kick off Day 8 at 9/8c prceded by the NFL Championship Game and the new series Human Target, starring Mark Valley. Unfortuantly for FOX they lost that huge NFL lead in, but things are still on track and I have seen both the first 4 hours of 24 as well as two episodes of Human Target.
Human Target, revolves around Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) who is essentially as bodyguard that will do anything and everything for his clients. He is surrounded by his tech guy Guerrero (Jackie Earl Haley) and his almost assistant like friend Winston (Chi McBride). The series is based on the DC comic of the same name and each episode surrounds one client and hist extradorniary measures to protect them.
The “Pilot” which airs tonight at 8/7c feeatures BSG’s Tricia Helfer who hires Chance to protect her on a high speed train, and when the show setles in to its regular day, Wednesdays at 9/8c (moves before Idol on the 27th), Chance has to do a lot on a plane. Fun! The show is not bad by any means but it just is not that extraoridnary. The action is great, and the fight scenes are the best on television right now but there is nothing yet to put this show over the edge. I enjoy seeing Chi McBride’s comic relief, and Earl Haley’s assignments but overall nothing really gives you a sense of excitement. It’s decent and well done TV, do we ask for more? The show that airs after tonight however is…
In its 8th season, but 24 is still going and while the formula is old and used, the producers find a way to catch you in those first four hours, two of which air tonight, followed by the next to on its normal day Monday. Day 8 finds Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) in New York City, and on the day of the President (Cherry Jones) having high profile meetings with a foriegn digintary (Anil Kapoor) but as 24 goes nothing goes right and that is where Jack Bauer comes in.
New players this year are abundant as CTU is reconstructed in a beautiful hub in New York headed by Mykelti Williamson as Brian Hastings, as well as BSG’s Katee Sackhoff and Freddie Prince Jr. as almost a mini Bauer. Returning of course is Chloe (Mary Lynn Rushkub) and now my favorite character Renee Walker (Anne Wersching) in a dark, dark role this year.
The last two seasons of 24 were by far not the best and with all the talk of this being its final day, I find myself looking forward to this year because all the pieces are falling into place. A great cast with a strong story, and well excecuted first hours. But there is some negatives, a not interesting subplot involving Dana Walsh (Sackhoff) takes away from the action as well as Jack’s daughter Kim, who is back in Jack’s life after the scare last year.
Both 24 and Human Target do action well with the former just keeping more exhilirating and captiviting, but if you are a fan of 24 check in a little early because you may just find yourself another solid hour of TV.
FOX’s Sunday starts at 8/7c with Human Target and finishes at 9/8c with the first two hours of 24.
It is rare on TV to find a show that just appeals to everything that makes you happy. Something that creates laughs, tears, thinking moments, and smiles, especially on a network that is known for smug rich kids. Life Unexpected on The CW is game changing is so many ways….
Life Unexpected comes from Liz Tigelaar, a writer/producer from such shows as Brothers and Sisters and American Dreams. It revolves around Lux (Brittany Robertson, a 16-year-old kid who has been in foster care since her parents (Shiri Appleby and Kristoffer Polaha) gave her up after they hooked up on prom night. Lux is looking to be emancipated but must have signatures for both her biological parents and she sets out to find them both. Her dad, Baze (Polaha), is a live in the moment bachelor, who lives above the bar he owns, and her mom Cate, is a popluar radio DJ in Portland, OR (where the show is set). Cate is engaged to her partner on the air Ryan (Kerr Smith), but when Lux shows up she is more than surprised. The series will follow Lux, as after the judge orders her to back in to the custody of her parents, as she manages her new school, rules, and much, much more.
The acting is pitch perfect. The lead, Brittany Robertson, who you may have seen in Swingtown or Dan in Real Life, is funny, sweet, and most of all genuine in her portrayal of a foster kid, while the rest of the supporting cast provides depth and humor to a touchy but touching subject. The writing however is what really shines, with Liz Tigelaar’s words, that make you feel, make you care, and make you engaged, and combined with the blue, homey feel that Vancouver (where the show films but is said to be Portland) gives the show.
The first three episodes build on each other, with the first being mostly set up for what the series will become, and then in the second hour showing how the parents and Ryan will adjust to now have to care for a teenager that never has really had any stability in her life. Then in the third hour (the last that I saw), the show introduces us to back story, we meet Baze’s parents, as well as Cate’s mom played by the ever so great Cynthia Stevenson and her crazy sister.
The show also gives us look in to Lux’s past with her friends from the street, her boyfriend, Bug, and their struggles to lose a friend and trying to get her back again as she moves to bigger and hopefully better things. Lux is a teenager like no other, as she points out in the Pilot she is more of an adult then her parents and it creates for more grown-up high school drama, that we rarely see on television.
If you are a viewer of The CW, you might not expect a show like Life Unexpected to be on your screen. There are no preppy rich kids, we are not in LA or NYC, no maids, all there is a family. A mixed up family of teenagers, parents acting like teenagers, friends, and the wacky people around them. It is absolutely the best new show you will see in 2010, and if this show is any indication that television can be so special, authentic and honest, we will be very, very happy.
Please tune in this Monday at 9/8c on The CW, you will not be disappointed.
