"Don't you like vampires, little girl?"
This week's episode of True Blood ("Frenzy"), written by Alan Ball and directed by Daniel Minahan, marks the penultimate installment of the second season (though we'll have to wait two weeks for the season finale) and consequently ramped up the tension, bringing us several new alliances, the deepening of a personal vendetta, a possible romantic split, and the fragmentation of several long-standing friendships.
And, oh, a giant egg.
So just what did I think about this week's episode of True Blood? Pour yourself a Tru Blood, strap on a bandolier, gather up some feathers and yarn, and let's discuss "Frenzy."
Bon Temps has literally gone to hell, thanks to Maryann's influence and this week we finally got an answer as to why Maryann happened to stumble in the backwoods town in the first place. While it seemed as though Maryann's arrival in Bon Temps with her murderous retinue was centered around shifter Sam Merlotte, his presence in the town was purely coincidental, as we learn that Maryann herself was summoned unwittingly by Tara Thorton back in Season One when she was tricked by Miss Jeanette into believing that she was slaying her inner "demon."
While Miss Jeanette was a sham, her use of ritual was powerful enough to bring Maryann to Tara like a beacon in the night, luring her to Bon Temps via Tara's vision of her black-eyed younger self. After all, Maryann and the pig (read: Daphne) were seen by the side of the road shortly thereafter. As for Sam, his coincidental appearance amid all of this mess is a blessing in disguise for Maryann: she can get revenge against the thieving shifter and use him as a sacrifice to the god who comes. Unless, that is, she decides to use Sookie as a substitute...
Tara was a means to an end for Maryann, just as Eggs was in the last location the cannibalistic nomads traveled to. I knew that letting Tara go try and save Eggs was a terrible, terrible idea. There was certainly no guarantee that she wouldn't fall right back under Maryann's spell again (though the shuttering spell didn't quite work on her this time) and sure enough within seconds of going back to the Stackhouse place, Tara falls right back into Maryann's thrall and ends up smashing up Gran's things and building a nest for...
Well, I don't rightly know what she and Eggs are building a nest for. But there it was: a huge white egg bigger than an ostrich's. (Should we view it as ironic or fitting that Eggs himself is building a nest to house an egg?) Just what is lurking underneath that shell? I have absolutely no idea. Is it connected to Maryann's imminent sacrificial offering? Quite probably. But it freaked the hell out of me regardless. Any thoughts?
I loved the reluctant partnership between Jason Stackhouse and Andy Bellefleur, one of the most unlikely friendships ever seen on the small screen. The scene where they carbo-load before going into battle was absolutely hysterical and there was some brutal honesty in the scene where Jason acknowledged that, despite appearances, he hasn't ever had it easy in life. It's fascinating to look at Ryan Kwanten's performance here as Jason and how much he's grown as a character since we first met him at the beginning of Season One. The self-absorbed sex addict has become a Hero with a capital-H. His speech about saving his town from what it's become--and how sometimes you have to destroy something in order to save it ("it's in the Bible... or the Constitution")--is so far removed from the selfishness he's displayed in the past, yet Ball and the writers have done a remarkable job at slowly transforming him into a complex and fully realized avenger... for whom sex is just one weapon in his arsenal. He may be just as dim-witted and hormonal but clearly he means well these days.
Likewise, my favorite scene last night had to be that between Sam Trammel's Sam, Alexander Skarsgard's Eric, and Arlene's poor, neglected kids ("teacup humans") at Fangtasia. (Hell, we even got some much needed Pam in the mix as well.) The creepiness with which Eric toyed with the children ("Don't you like vampires, little girl?"), baring his fangs and making references to draining them of their blood with a playful glee was a thing to behold. Skarsgard has excelled this season at bringing Eric to the forefront of the series and at portraying him as a vengeful, quixotic, and dangerous being with an inner soulfulness. This scene brought back Eric's darker side as well as his inherent arrogance (to wit: his use of the word "tribute") but he does agree to help Sam locate information about the maenad, though once again his motivations seems to be based around his interest in Sookie.
And Eric can fly, as we learn. That sound you heard? It was thousands of True Blood fans swooning and hitting the floor as Eric leapt into the air outside Fangtasia into the dark sky.
One mystery lurking in the shadows: the identity of the father of Arlene's kids. We're told very specifically that the children have never seen him before and Arlene cut his face out of all of the pictures she has of him... but he has her name tattooed on his stomach. Could we be seeing Arlene's ex turning up at some point in the future. I definitely think so, though just who or what will he be? Hmmm....
Likewise, we're introduced to Sookie's cousin Hadley (Lindsey Haun), a consort of Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood), the Yahtzee-loving Vampire Queen of Louisiana. While I suspected we'd meet her soon enough (tip-offs included that mention of her back in Season One and the use--twice, no less--of that brief mention in the "previously on" montages over the last two weeks), I never thought that she too would be caught up in the world of vampires and be quite so close to their nexus of power in Louisiana. While Hadley is startled to hear Bill and Sophie-Anne mention Sookie (the fact that Sophie-Anne knows about her at all concerns me to no end), I couldn't quite be sure whether Bill knew of Hadley's familial relationship to Sookie or not. Regardless, he's clearly intending to keep it a secret from Sookie and tells Hadley not to get in touch with Sookie. Ever.
As for Sophie-Anne herself, I thought that Wood pulled off the petulance, spite, and spoiled air required of a centuries-old vampire but lacked a certain presence on screen to warrant her role as this much-discussed royal. (It's hard not to compare her slightly predictable performance with that of the other flame-haired vamp on the series, Deborah Ann Woll's Jessica Hamby, who literally ignites the air every time she appears on camera.) I loved her day room with its faux beach backdrop and St. Tropez-style lounging but I just wanted a larger, more impressive royal presence from Wood as it felt like she was a bit swallowed up by the opulent surroundings instead of commanding it.
Loved Bill and Eric's little showdown on the steps outside Sophie-Anne's as the two continue to duel over Sookie, a battle that's more than likely to continue into next season, unless Eric is able to sway Sophie-Anne to his side of things. Which makes this viewer very, very nervous indeed.
Is it curtains for Hoyt and Jessica? It certainly looked that way after Jessica bit Maxine after losing patience with the black-eyed mother from hell but I am hoping that there is some way for the two to reconnect once all of the craziness is past. But I have to say that I am getting very worried about Hoyt; as long as he was locked up with Jessica at the Compton house, I thought they'd see the coming war through from the sidelines but with Hoyt in Bon Temps and highly susceptible to Maryann's spell, I'm worried for him. Especially now that the frenzied Maxine has unleashed not only a torrent of insults but also the truth about Hoyt's father's death. He didn't die defending his family against an intruder but took his own life. Poor, poor Hoyt.
Hoyt wasn't the only one fighting off ghosts from the past as Lafayette had to contend with the return of his post-traumatic stress disorder, triggered by Lettie Mae holding him and Sookie at gunpoint in order to free Tara. And sure enough, Lafayette was so terrified that he imagined that Lettie Mae was Eric himself come to kill him and punish him for everything he's done. But if that weren't bad enough, Lafayette quickly also falls under Maryann's frenzy at Sookie's house. I had been hoping that Eric's blood would give him some level of immunity against her spell but alas he quickly succumbs to the darkness, spurred on by his efforts to shoot Maryann... An effort that results in the unintended death of Carl when Maryann deflects the bullet.
Bill, meanwhile, may have gleaned the only way to kill the maenad: to strike her when she believes her summoning of the god who comes has succeeded, the only point in which she'll be vulnerable to attack. Sophie-Anne indicates that the only reason why Maryann is immortal is because she believes herself to be and that our ideas and beliefs not only give us power but enable us to create something out of nothing.
Whether this can in fact be turned on its head by Bill and Sookie to take down Maryann and save Bon Temps remains to be seen but I for one and going to be on pins and needles the next two weeks until True Blood's season finale.
In two weeks on the season finale of True Blood ("Beyond Here Lies Nothin'") Maryann prepares for her ultimate sacrifice, forcing Sookie to be the Maid of Honor at her bloody nuptials; Sophie-Anne warns Eric to control Bill's inquisitiveness; Jason leads Andy into battle; Hoyt struggles with Maxine's endless stream of insults; Sam places his trust, and his life, in a most unlikely ally in order to save Bon Temps and Sookie.
Mickey and Co. are about to get some new super-powered friends.
Disney today announces its acquisition of Marvel Entertainment, in a deal worth roughly $4 billion, under which the Mouse House will attain control over Marvel's vast portfolio of properties and characters.
"This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company in a statement. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney. We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation."
The acquisition is expected to be announced at Disney's investors call at 7:15 am PT this morning; the deal--comprised of a stock and cash transaction--will still need to be approved by Marvel's shareholders. Those shareholders "would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own," according to materials released by Disney ahead of the investors call.
The full press release from Disney announcing the acquisition can be found below.
Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire
Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters
Acquisition highlights Disney’s strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value
Burbank, CA and New York, NY, August 31, 2009 —Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.
Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.
Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.
“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”
“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.
“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.
The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch. Continue reading full story...
Channel Surfing: Zooey Deschanel Could Guest Star on "Bones," FOX Slates First "Glee" Soundtrack, NBC to Get "More Colorful," and More
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
It seems like the stars are finally aligning. Producers on FOX's Bones are in talks with Zooey Deschanel to guest star on the procedural crime drama in December as the cousin of real-life sister Emily Deschanel's Brennan, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "We’ve been looking for an opportunity to get the Deschanel girls together," said Bones creator/executive producer Hart Hanson, "but Zooey’s rockin’ career kept getting in the way... We alluded to [her] having a cousin in Minnesota two seasons ago. I’d very much like to meet her in the Christmas episode." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
As previously reported on this site, 20th Century Fox Television is teaming up with Columbia Records on a series of soundtracks for FOX's upcoming series Glee. The first release, "Glee: The Music, Volume 1," will contain seventeen tracks from the series' first season (including Queen's "Somebody to Love," Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" and Kanye West's "Gold Digger") and will debut on November 3rd. (Hollywood Reporter)
NBC has unveiled its new marketing slogan, "more colorful," which is reportedly intended to "reference both NBC's Peacock heritage and the net's famous '60s-era bumpers, which promised 'the following program is brought to you in living color on NBC,'" according to Variety's Michael Schneider. The new tagline will launch on September 14th, the same day that the Peacock will premiere Jay Leno's new 10 pm weeknightly series. (Variety)
So Twitter. FOX will use Twitter later this week during repeat broadcasts of both Glee and Fringe, during which cast members and producers will use the social networking platform to tweet live updates during the telecasts that will be displayed on-air in a scroll at the bottom of the screen. Fringe's Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jeff Pinkner, and J.H. Wyman will participate, while Glee's Lea Michele, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, and Chris Colfer are all set to join them when FOX repeats the pilot of Glee on Friday evening. (Variety)
Casting alert! Kate Mulgrew (Star Trek: Voyager) has been cast in NBC's medical drama Mercy, where she will play Jeannie Flanagan, the mother of Taylor Schilling's Veronica. Elsewhere, Jesse Williams (Greek) will appear in a multiple-episode story arc on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, though producers are keeping details about his character firmly under wraps. Matthew Levy will star opposite Tyler Labine in FOX's midseason comedy Sons of Tucson as the eldest of the three brothers, Joshua Leonard (Humpday) will recur on Season Two of Showtime's United States of Tara as "boho-trustifarian" Ricky, and Mido Hamada (Path to 9/11) will recur on FOX's 24 as "Mehran, the leader of a group of operatives in an Islamic country working against their president." (Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Garret Dillahunt (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will guest star in USA's Burn Notice, where he will play Simon, described by Ausiello as "a scary-smart new client of Michael’s (Jeffrey Donovan) — and perhaps the first person to outsmart him." Dillahunt's episode, which also features John Mahoney, is slated to air this winter. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Brenda Blethyn (Atonement) will star in Hidden Depths, a new murder mystery series on UK's ITV based on the novel by Ann Cleeves. Blethyn will play Vera Stanhope, a detective inspector in Northumberland who is on the trail of a murderer who left the bodies of two young people in the water. Project will be adapted by Paul Rutman and executive produced by kate Bartlett. (Guardian)
It's the end of the rainbow. PBS has announced that long-running children's series Reading Rainbow aired its final episode on Friday, after a run that began in 1983. (Hollywood Reporter)
Supernatural creator Eric Kripke told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello that he is sticking to his five-year plan for the drama series and intends to wrap up the storyline at the end of next season. But there's a rather big catch. "I did set out [to] tell a five-season storyline," said Kripke. "Quite frankly, I never expected [the show] to make it to five years. But now that we’re in our fifth year, I have every intention of ending the story with a bang and not drawing it out or watering it down.... That having been said, I’m looking at this season as the last chapter in this particular story. That doesn’t mean there can’t be a new story. Buffy did it. The X-Files did it. You close a chapter on a big mythology storyline and then you begin a new one." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ABC has given a script order to an untitled multi-camera comedy project from writer/executive producers Matt Williams (Roseanne), Carmen Finestra, and David McFadzean and ABC Studios about a sports psychologist who runs his practice out of his house and tries to juggle his career with his role as a father of three and a husband. (Hollywood Reporter)
BBC Three has announced three new commissions including drama Lip Service, about the "sex lives and love affairs of twenty-something lesbians living in contemporary Glasgow" from Harriet Braun (Mistresses), comedy Mouth to Mouth, about the "complicated and sometimes funny issues of personal identity, following the year-in-the-life story of six young people," and news-based entertainment series Russell Howard's Good News, in which Howard draws conclusions from the top news stories as well as smaller stories which may not have gotten any ink (digital or otherwise). (BBC)
TLC has ordered twelve episodes of docusoap King of the Crown, which will follow Cy Frakes, professional beauty queen coach as he trains his clients "how to perfect their walk, style hair, and smile on cue." The cabler will debut the series, from Five Five Prods. and Discovery Studios, on Wednesday, September 30th. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation.
This week, I offered an advance review of USA's fantastic and stylish upcoming drama series White Collar, starring Tim DeKay and Matthew Bomer.
I also had an exclusive interview with Top Chef: Las Vegas competitor (and major contender) Jennifer Carroll.
Elsewhere in the sophisticated TV-obsessed section of the blogosphere, members of the TV Blog Coalition were discussing the following items...
- With his new series, What Would Brian Boitano Make?, Brian Boitano proves that while the famed figure skater may not be a master chef, he is cute as a button. (TiFaux)
- With September fast approaching, so to are 75 new and returning TV shows. And here to ensure you don't miss a moment of your favorite (or soon-to-be favorite) show is theTVaddict.com with our printable and downloadable season premiere calendar (The TV Addict)
- Hot blood suckers playing football? See, we told you The Vampire Diaries was nothing like Twilight! (TV Fanatic)
- Now that Project Runway is on Lifetime, Buzz wants to know which reality show on Bravo is your favorite. (BuzzSugar)
- This week, Sandie interviewed 90210's newcomer Trevor Donovan. (Daemon's TV)
- Since he is not a fan of conspiracy theories, Scooter is glad to see The National Geographic Channel try to dispel some of the common ones on the upcoming 9/11: Science and Conspiracy. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
- Afro Jazz. Capoeira. Disco that doesn't suck. This is the So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 20, eh! and Vance rates the season 2 batch. (Tapeworthy)
Those of you who have been watching Bravo's addictive and appetite-inducing culinary competition series Top Chef: Las Vegas have undoubtedly discovered the dazzling skill, graceful presentation, and exquisite flavor profiles of 33-year-old Philadelphia native Jennifer Carroll.
Carroll, who wowed the judges in the first week of the competition with a clam ceviche and a poached halibut dish, is the chef de cuisine at 10 Arts by Eric Ripert in Philadelphia. When I first saw an early cut of the season opener, I quickly put her down as a major contender for the title of Top Chef and was impressed by her creativity, her passion, and her unwavering determination.
I caught up with Carroll earlier this week to talk to her about her career, her culinary style, what it's really like in the kitchen on Top Chef, that pastry chef comment (you know which one I'm talking about), and much more.
Televisionary: How would you define your culinary style?
Jennifer Carroll: My style is to definitely make the fish or the protein of the plate the star and anything that goes around it has to elevate it. I don't want anything to be out of harmony with each other. My style is very simple and clean and delicate. But it is also at the same time full of flavor.
Televisionary: What drew you to participating in Top Chef?
Carroll: At first, I was very nervous and a little apprehensive about doing it. But all of the PR and seeing what all of the contestants and winners in the past have done through the show and how great their lives were after, it was definitely a huge influence over me to doing it. And just getting my name out there and having people see what I can do in the kitchen.
Televisionary: Was the competition aspect of the show then more or less difficult than you thought it would be?
Carroll: I knew it was going to hard but once I met all of the other chefs and found out where they were from, I was like, "Ohhhh man, I might be in trouble here." It was definitely harder than I thought it would be.
Televisionary: And how familiar were you with Top Chef ahead of time?
Carroll: I've watched every season. Definitely knew the pressure and stress and was really worried about all of the time elements and just really not having any idea of what I'm walking into every day. I thought it would be fun... but it was definitely stressful!
Televisionary: Obviously, working in the kitchen is stressful enough but when you add in that time element and the cameras, how much more intense does it get?
Carroll: Oh my god, it was so intense. Number One, you're not working in your own kitchen, you're not working in your element, which becomes natural to you because you're there for over eight hours a day.
You're in a brand-new kitchen with brand-new pots and pans, around people you don't know. I don't have anyone to go tell to peel garlic and shallots. (Laughs) You have to do everything yourself and you're being watched by cameras. It's just even more nerve-wracking because if I screw this up or I drop this or if I cut this not perfectly, the camera and the whole world is going to see it. It's definitely added pressure.
Televisionary: In the season opener, there was a vaguely misogynistic comment in which one contestant asked if you were Eric Ripert's pastry chef. Did this get under your skin at all?
Carroll: You know... I try not to let things like that bother me. I've been working in the kitchen long enough where I'm used to those kind of comments. I was kind of surprised and taken aback, thinking that we're all professionals here, so why do you have to assume that I'm the pastry chef? But it just goes to show that in the world today, people still think that if you are a girl and you work in the kitchen that you are the pastry chef and that's just so stupid to me.
Televisionary: Do you think that male chefs are threatened by strong women in the kitchen?
Carroll: I think some are. And the ones that are I think are insecure.
Televisionary: What's the one thing that people watching at home don't realize about the competition?
Carroll: I don't think they realize how intense and stressful it really is. And I think some people--when they say, hey, you have fifteen minutes, it truly is fifteen minutes--we're not stopping and I think some people at home might think it's more acted out. But it's not. The show is for real.
Televisionary: Your background was initially in law. How and why did you make the switch to the culinary world?
Carroll: I actually didn't get to law school. I was pre-law. I always worked in kitchens and always loved to cook but always cooked for my friends and was always with my grandmom and my mom. And, I don't know, something slipped in me one summer and I told my parents that I didn't want to go back to college for pre-law, that I truly wanted to go to culinary school.
I was sitting in my house one day and a switch just flipped and I realized that this was what I wanted to do. I'm so glad that I made the change because I have fun every day at my job. It's stressful and it's hard and it's long hours, but it's fun and it's creative. At the end of a long, hard day, you feel good; you feel good about feeding people and making memories for them. That means so much more to me and I'm glad that I took this path.
Televisionary: Who then are your culinary influences or heroes?
Carroll: I would definitely have to say that my main culinary influence and mentor would be Eric Ripert. He taught me so much while I was up at Le Bernardin with him. And also the sous chef and the chef de cuisine there: Chris Muller and Eric Gestel, who are like the unsung heroes of Le Bernardin who are there on top of you every single day, making you better. They really formed me and molded me into the chef I am today.
Televisionary: If you had a signature dish that best represents you as a chef, what would it be?
Carroll: That's such a hard question. (Laughs) I think all chefs hate that question because it's so limiting, I think. I think it all depends on what your mood is that day. It would have to be simple and clean and fun and something definitely with seafood because I love cooking with it so much.
Televisionary: Do you cook at home for family or friends in your off-hours?
Carroll: I do like cooking at home. When ever I go to my mom's and she's making dinner or my sisters' and they're making dinner, I can't sit back, I have to go in the kitchen and usually they'll yell at me, "Hey, relax, no cooking for you." But I just can't help myself. What do I like to cook? It depends. (Laughs) Whatever anyone wants to eat that day. I like cooking everything.
Televisionary: What ingredients or kitchen gadgets could you not live without?
Carroll: What could I not live without? Definitely would be my chef's knife [by Misono] and my sauce spoon. I've had my sauce spoon for -- Christ, for almost eight years now. Literally, if I lost it, I'd be so upset.
And then ingredient-wise? Of course fine sea salt, a very high-fat butter, unsalted butter that would be, a very good olive oil, Espelette pepper, and basically whatever best seasonal product is in the stores.
Televisionary: If you are the winner of Top Chef, what would you do with the cash prize?
Carroll: Number One, I would definitely give some back to the community. Right now, we're selling buttons that say "Bet on Jenny" in the restaurant and 100 percent of the proceeds are going towards Philabundance, which is a local food charity. I would definitely give to the local food banks in Philadelphia, which would be one of the main things I would do with it. And then the rest? Who knows. Something to create my restaurant with some day.
Top Chef: Las Vegas airs Wednesday nights at 10 pm ET/PT on Bravo.
Inspector Morse's dogged former sidekick Robbie Lewis (Kevin Whately) returns this weekend with seven new crime-packed mysteries set in the heart of Oxford's academic community of scholars, dons, and students.
Inspector Lewis (or Lewis as it's known as in the United Kingdom) kicks off on Sunday night (part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery) with "And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea," in which Lewis finds himself enmeshed in an investigation involving art forgery, gambling addicts, and calculatedly brutal murder.
I had the opportunity a few weeks back to watch both the first two sensational installments of Inspector Lewis' second season and was immediately sucked into the clever plotting, deft characterizations, and witty banter between Lewis and his junior partner, the erudite DS Hathaway (Laurence Fox). (Confession: I attended Oxford University and met my wife there, so the setting alone for me is worth the price of admission.)
The seven episodes of Inspector Lewis which are slated to air Stateside are actually comprised of the series' second and third seasons, which PBS is airing back-to-back here. (However, I am curious what happened to the third season's fourth episode, "Counter Culture Blues," which doesn't appear to be on the schedule.) As we begin with "And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea," we find Lewis still grimly attempting to collar Oxford's criminals and keep the peace in the city of dreaming spires, despite his loathing of posh intellectuals.
He's also still trying to process the unexpected death of his partner Inspector Morse, which continues to haunt him to this day. Morse's death--or rather his life--also play a role in Lewis' second episode, "Music to Die For," and it's a somber note of reflection that underpins the relationship between Robbie Lewis and Morse.
In the first episode of the season, written by Alan Plater and directed by Dan Reed, it's a rather puzzling case of forgery, murder, and performance art that's nagging Lewis and Hathaway. It's a fantastic installment that rather marvelously uses a similar plot point to USA's upcoming crime drama White Collar to rather ingenious effect and explores the art community of Oxford with great aplomb. As an added bonus, this installment also happens to guest star former Brittas Empire castmates Pippa Haywood and Julia St. John and parts of it are set within the bowels of the venerable Bodleian Library.
The absolutely riveting second episode, "Music to Die For," written by Dusty Hughes and directed by Bill Anderson, offers a mind-bending mystery as Lewis finds himself personally involved in an ongoing investigation surrounding the murder of an aging gay lecturer (Niall Buggy), illegal underground boxing tournaments, espionage, and a decades-old secret that led one academic to his death at the hand of East Germany's ruthless Stasi. And, as mentioned above, the case hits home for Lewis as it dredges up two very painful deaths: that of his partner Morse and his wife. As Lewis encounters a second chance at romance, we're given the opportunity to see his character in a new light and gain a greater understanding at the recesses of pain that are etched onto Lewis' consciousness. (Also keep an eye out for Merlin's Bradley James to turn up as an Oxford student/bare-knuckles brawler.)
While Lewis' first season provided a fun return to the Oxford-set mysteries of Morse, these episodes establish Lewis as a force to be reckoned with in his own right and also establish Inspector Lewis as its own unique crime series. While it's still connected to Inspector Morse in spirit, it's also able to forge a new identity for itself at the same time. It's no mean feat to pull off a spin-off of a much beloved series, but Inspector Lewis manages to do so here with grace and skill, not to mention some well-crafted mysteries that would stump Morse himself.
Much of that credit goes to Whatley for his realistically sullen performance; he manages to make Lewis a lovable and sympathetic curmudgeon who's set in his ways and reeling from loss but still able to nick the right guy in the end and even crack a joke or two. Likewise, Lewis' grumbling is perfectly balanced by Fox's nuanced performance as the well-read Hathaway, whose bookish knowledge makes him a fantastic counterpoint to Lewis' street smarts.
Ultimately, the smart and sly murder mysteries that Lewis and Hathaway tackle each week are the ideal way to spend your Sunday evening and the perfect antidote to the sweltering summer heat.
Inspector Lewis's seven new episodes launch this Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT as part of PBS' Masterpiece Mystery. Check your local listings for details.
TVGuide.com is reporting that FX drama Rescue Me will wrap up its series run in 2011, according to co-creator/executive producer Peter Tolan.
"Within the next couple of weeks, we're going to begin shooting the last 19 episodes, which will be the final two seasons of the show," Peter Tolan told TVGuide.com, with the final episodes of the Sony Pictures Television-produced series slated to air in September of 2011 in order to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Those episodes will be broken down into two seasons, with the first batch airing next year.
"I think they're stretching the airing of it out until the 10th anniversary," surmised Tolan. "So if you put 10 episodes on next year and nine the following year, you'll land there."
Additionally, TVGuide.com also reported that Tolan is seeking to have Maura Tierney (ER, Parenthood) reprise her role as Kelly McPhee in four installments of Rescue Me's final episodes.
Rescue Me will end its fifth season on Tuesday, September 1st at 10 pm ET/PT on FX.
Looking to return to Sherwood Forest?
You're in luck as BBC America brings you the third and final season of Robin Hood, slated to begin Saturday, September 12th at 9 pm ET/PT.
According to BBC America's press release, Season Three finds Robin a vengeful man following the death of his true love, Maid Marian: "Season three kicks off when Robin and his gang of outlaws return from the Holy Land. But now that he’s back, Robin wastes no time - Marian's murderer, Guy of Gisborne (Armitage), is a marked man. Robin immediately breaks with his followers, and races to Locksley Manor to avenge her death. Once there, he confronts Gisborne but does Gisborne care if he lives or dies? After all, Marian was the only woman he loved and his only hope."
A two-minute clip from the third season opener, along with more information about the new season, can be found below.
Toby Stephens (Die Another Day, Jane Eyre) and David Harewood (The Vice, The Palace) join the cast of Jonas Armstrong (Teachers, The Ghost Squad), Richard Armitage (MI-5, North & South), and Keith Allen (Bodies, The Others) as Robin continues to outwit the dastardly Sheriff and his forces—but Robin’s not the same crusader he once was. Since the death of Marian, Robin’s in a downward spiral fuelled by anger and grief - he can think of nothing but revenge. Meanwhile, a wave of corruption and evil has been sweeping the land. Luckily, a mysterious new ally in the form of a traveling monk, Tuck (Harewood) arrives just in time to get the hooded hero back on track.
Season three kicks off when Robin and his gang of outlaws return from the Holy Land. But now that he’s back, Robin wastes no time - Marian's murderer, Guy of Gisborne (Armitage), is a marked man. Robin immediately breaks with his followers, and races to Locksley Manor to avenge her death. Once there, he confronts Gisborne but does Gisborne care if he lives or dies? After all, Marian was the only woman he loved and his only hope.
Armstrong talks about the darker, tougher Robin Hood, hell bent on avenging his wife's tragic end, “Robin’s back from the Holy Land but without Marian, the beat of his life. He’s questioning everything he ever lived for. Now it’s pay back time, and he’s become obsessed with killing Gisborne. It’s great to bring Robin back a darker, more mature hero and fans will see that once he’s come to terms with his personal loss, he’s a stronger more powerful force than ever before.”
Meanwhile, the wickedness of the Sheriff (Allen) continues unabated - he’s sold the local men to fight a foreign war. When a feisty Locksley girl, Kate (Joanne Froggatt, Life On Mars), objects to her brother’s forced conscription, she inadvertently gets caught up in the cause of Robin Hood and becomes an indispensable member of the gang.
The third season also brings an unexpected addition when Gisborne's little sister, Isabella (Lara Pulver), unexpectedly arrives to further complicate the lives of both Robin and Gisborne. And, as the threat of Prince John (Stephens) looms larger, Robin and Gisborne reach an uneasy truce. They soon realize they may have more in common than they thought.
Season Three of Robin Hood launches Saturday, September 12th at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America. Continue reading full story...
Channel Surfing: Campbell Scott Briefed for "Damages," Temporary Production Shutdown on "V," Details of Kristin Chenoweth on "Glee," and More
Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Campbell Scott (Royal Pains, Six Degrees) has signed on as a series regular for Season Three of FX's serpentine legal thriller Damages. No details were immediately available about just who Scott will be playing next season on the Sony Pictures Television-produced drama series, which will return to production next month for a January 2010 premiere. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ABC's sci-fi drama V is set to take a two-week creative break, with filming to temporarily shut down for a two week period beginning next Wednesday. However, the move won't impact the November 3rd launch date, involve any staff changes, or, writes The Wrap's Josef Adalian, affect "the six episodes its planning for the fourth quarter." For its part, studio Warner Bros. Television wouldn't give any details about the exact reason behind the decision to shut down for two weeks but said that they want to "take advantage of our November premiere to maximize creative opportunities and deliver the audience the best show possible." Adalian says that insiders have indicated that the shutdown stems from the studio's desire to allow the writing staff time to write future scripts and get them to the same level of quality as the pilot. (The Wrap's TV MoJoe)
E! Online's Watch with Kristin has the scoop on the upcoming guest star turn by Pushing Daisies' Kristin Chenoweth on FOX's Glee, where she will play April Rhodes, who is described as "quite the alcoholic and bad influence on the glee club members" who joins the club after Rachel (Lea Michele) drops out. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) has been cast in a recurring role on NBC's Chuck next season while Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) has signed on to appear in a multiple-episode story arc on FOX's Dollhouse, along with Alexis Denisof (Angel), Jamie Bamber (BSG), Keith Carradine (Dexter), and Michael Hogan (BSG). (Televisionary)
Christian Clemenson (Boston Legal) has been cast in at least two episodes of CBS' CSI: Miami next season, where he will recur as a medical examiner on the long-running procedural crime drama. (Hollywood Reporter)
Laura Linney (John Adams) is set to topline Showtime dark comedy pilot The C Word (a working title) about a woman battling cancer. Project, from Sony Pictures Television, is written and executive produced by Darlene Hunt (90210) and is slated to be shot this fall. (Televisionary)
The trades are reporting that HBO has optioned Jeffrey Eugenides' novel "Middlesex," which it will develop as an ongoing series. However, this was reported back in early July by Broadcasting and Cable, details of which can be found here.
A&E Television Networks has acquired Lifetime Entertainment Services following the closing of a deal in the works for several months. Under the terms of the agreement, Lifetime will fall under A&E Television Network management, with president/CEO Abbe Raven remaining as the head of the company, with Lifetime's Andrea Wong reporting to Raven, as will A&E's Bob DiBitetto and History's Nancy Dubuc. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
Showtime has announced that Laura Linney (John Adams) has been cast as the female lead in a dark comedy entitled The C Word (a working title) about a woman struggling to live in the shadow of her cancer diagnosis.
Linney will star in the pilot of the Sony Pictures Television-produced project, from writer/executive producer Darlene Hunt (90210), which is slated to be shot this fall.
"Laura Linney is in that rare echelon of truly gifted actresses who fully embody the characters they play and we are honored to welcome her to Showtime," said Showtime president of entertainment Robert Greenblatt. "Cancer is not usually the subject of half-hour comedy, but Laura saw what we did in this complex show -- a woman who gets a wake-up call that causes her to shake up her life and family. She will no doubt make this character both heartbreaking and disarmingly funny, and we’re thrilled that she has chosen this show for her foray into series television.”
The full press release from Showtime can be found below.
Showtime Pushes Envelope With Series About Cancer
LOS ANGELES, CA – (August 27, 2009) – Laura Linney – three-time Academy Award® nominee, three-time Emmy® winner, and SAG® and Golden Globe® Award winner – is coming to series television in a provocative new SHOWTIME half-hour series about a woman diagnosed with cancer called THE C WORD (working title), it was announced today by SHOWTIME Networks President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt. A pilot has been ordered and will be shot in the fall.
Linney will star in and executive produce THE C WORD, which delves into the emotional ups and downs of a suburban wife and mother forced to face reality yet also find the light side in a dark situation. A metaphor for the way we all should live, yet rarely do, this is a journey about how to seize the day. The series is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It will be produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television.
"Laura Linney is in that rare echelon of truly gifted actresses who fully embody the characters they play and we are honored to welcome her to SHOWTIME," says Greenblatt. "Cancer is not usually the subject of half-hour comedy, but Laura saw what we did in this complex show -- a woman who gets a wake-up call that causes her to shake up her life and family. She will no doubt make this character both heartbreaking and disarmingly funny, and we’re thrilled that she has chosen this show for her foray into series television.”
"How one lives fully while being tested by the unpredictability of life, and what one learns in the process, is always filled with endless possibilities for an actor,” says Linney. “I am very excited to tackle such potentially rich, funny and complicated material."
Linney is one of Hollywood’s most versatile and celebrated talents, having begun her career in the theatre where she has appeared in the award-winning plays Six Degrees of Separation, The Crucible, Sight Unseen and Hedda Gabler. This January, Linney is set to star in a limited engagement of Time Stands Still, directed by Donald Margulies, at Manhattan Theatre Club. On the small screen, she was first noted for her turn in the PBS series “Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City” which continued for two more installments on SHOWTIME, "More Tales of the City" and "Further Tales of the City." She earned Emmys for her work on “Frasier” and in SHOWTIME's “Wild Iris.” She starred most recently in the Emmy®-winning HBO mini-series “John Adams” – her performance as Abigail Adams earned her Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG® Award wins. She earned Oscar® nominations for her critically acclaimed work in KINSEY, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME and THE SAVAGES. Additional film credits include THE TRUMAN SHOW, LOVE ACTUALLY, MYSTIC RIVER and THE SQUID AND THE WHALE. Currently, Linney is filming THE DETAILS, which was written and directed by Jacob Estes and also stars Tobey McGuire. Linney is represented by ICM, Brillistein Entertainment Partners and Barnes, Morris, Klein, Mark & Yorn.
Moritz has been producing film and television for nearly 20 years. His big screen credits include SWEET HOME ALABAMA, THE FAST & THE FURIOUS franchise, and I AM LEGEND. Upcoming films include the remake of the ‘80s television series 21 JUMP STREET, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, starring Aaron Eckhart, and the popular comic book THE GREEN HORNET, starring Seth Rogen. Moritz has produced television titles as wide ranging as “Prison Break” and “Tru Calling,” and he was nominated for an Emmy® award as executive producer of the HBO bio-pic “The Rat Pack.” He is represented by CAA.
Series executive producer and creator Hunt has worked as a consulting producer on the hit CW show "90210," and has written for series such as "Will & Grace" and "Good Morning Miami." She has also developed numerous pilots for network and cable. As an actor, she's a member of the famed comedy troupe The Groundlings and starred on television in the 2006 Ted Danson series "Help Me Help You." She is represented by UTA. Executive producer Vivian Cannon’s credits include “Emily’s Reasons Why Not,” “Tell Me You Love Me,” the 2005 film LITTLE MANHATTAN, starring Bradley Whitford and Cynthia Nixon, and the 2004 film SEEING OTHER PEOPLE, starring Jay Mohr, Julianne Nicholson and Brian Cranston. Continue reading full story...
Man of Steel, meet Chuck Bartowski.
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on Season Three of NBC's Chuck, which returns to the airwaves in midseason.
According to Ausiello, Routh--who's no stranger to secret identities himself--will play Shaw, "a mysterious new spy who takes control as the new leader of Operation Bartwoski, becoming a mentor to Chuck and a rival in his affections for Sarah."
No airdate was given for Routh's first appearance on the series, nor any specific episode count for his story arc.
Meanwhile, Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) is returning to her Whedonverse roots.
Zap2It is reporting that Glau has signed on for a recurring role in Season Two of Whedon's metaphysical action drama series Dollhouse, where she will play Bennett, "a Dollhouse employee who shares a past with Echo (Eliza Dushku)."And, if that weren't enough Dollhouse goodness, fellow Whedonverse alum Alexis Denisof (Angel) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Dollhouse as Senator Daniel Perrin, a congressman hell-bent on exposing the Dollhouse.
Denisof joins the ranks of a slew of high-profile guest stars on Dollhouse in the coming weeks, including Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber, who will appear in the Season Two opener as Echo's new "husband" Martin Klar, Michael Hogan, who will play a man looking to end a family member's murder spree, and Keith Carradine, who will play Adelle's nemesis, a businessman named Matthew Harding.
Plus, recurring actors Amy Acker and Miracle Laurie will reprise their respective roles in multiple-episode story arcs on Dollhouse's sophomore season.
What do you think? Excited by the possibilities of what Season Two of Dollhouse could bring? And what other Whedonverse alumni would you like to see drop by Dollhouse? Continue reading full story...
It's interesting as each season of Top Chef wears on to see just how your initial gut-instinct contenders fare as the challenges begin piling up.
I'm happy to say that so far the three chefs that I picked as the three major contenders have all continued to fare well this week. Just which one of them will walk away with the grand prize remains to be seen but there's no doubt in my mind that each of them will be sticking around for some time to come.
On this week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Bachelor/Ette Party"), it was a battle of the sexes as the chefs were split down the middle and had to pair three shots with individual dishes at a bachelor and bachelorette party. But before that, there was the Todd English-judged Quickfire Challenge where the cheftestants rolled dice to see how many ingredients they'd have to work with--anywhere from two to twelve--and prepare a dish in under thirty minutes.
So how did they fare this week in Sin City? Let's discuss.
Plus, it was interesting to see which chefs--Kevin Gillespie and Jennifer Carroll for two--were actually hoping they'd land less ingredients than more. These two are definitely on my Major Contender list and both of them excel at clean, simple flavor profiles that are complex without being chaotic.
So which dishes stood out from among the pack? Despite landing ten ingredients, Kevin offered up a deceptively simple dish of asparagus and celery salad with fennel cream and boiled egg. (Sometimes more can be less.) Once again, Jennifer managed to wow the judges with her simple elegance (which always seems to belie an intensity of flavor) with a smoked salmon with lemon, garlic, shallot, parsley, and jalapeno emulsion. And Michael V. reinvented the humble gazpacho as a nitro gazpacho with compressed cucumbers and toast, a modern molecular miracle that had him walk away with $15,000 and immunity in the Elimination Challenge.
But all was not good in the Top Chef kitchen. I think that Bryan was extremely disappointed to place so poorly in the Quickfire for his poached black cod with carrot-ginger puree and daikon radish sprouts, but it still shows some major initiative and conceptualization. Which can't be said for some of the other dishes. As soon as I saw Jesse's dish--scallops with chimichurri and smashed garbanzo beans with toasted garlic--I knew she'd land at the bottom of the pack. The scallops had no coloring whatsoever and the rest of the plate was comprised of two piles of mush resembling baby food (baby food, people, I'm trying to be kind). I never understand the mentality behind plating in this fashion; there needs to be some thought put into executing a combination of textures as well as flavors and offering up mush and more mush just doesn't cut it. Full stop.
As for Eve, I've been scratching my head as to how she made it onto the series. Her chilled asparagus salad with raisins, pine nuts, and blue cheese was woefully executed, with the blue cheese overpowering everything else on the plate. I made a comment in my original advance review of the season opener that Eve's voice was like nails on a chalkboard and that holds true here. Which I'd try my best to overlook if she had some stunning vision or skills in the kitchen but it doesn't seem to be the case here.
Moving on to the Elimination Challenge, there was some definite bad blood behind the choice of the challenge, with Jennifer Carroll irked about the division of the sexes (in a gender-equal competition like this I have to agree with her) and Ashley upset about the wedding-themed nature of the competition, given the nearly universal ban on gay marriage in America at the moment. Unfortunately, being a chef means cooking for people whose ideas, ethos, way of living, or sense of being conflicts with your own. You are there to compete and as a professional chef, it's not up to you to decide that you shouldn't be cooking for certain people or because of certain circumstances. Top Chef has featured wedding-themed challenges in the past and this season is set in Las Vegas, so it was only a matter of time before something of this nature came up. I can understand Ashley's frustrations about the larger political/social issue but this wasn't the forum for that and it wasn't the intention of the series' producers to make anyone uncomfortable or angry.
(Getting off my soapbox now.)
I have to say that, with the very notable exception of Jennifer Carroll once again (who turned out a gorgeous octopus ceviche with citrus vinaigrette, chives, and smoked salt, fennel, and mint) and Laurine (who offered up a beautifully cooked lamb chop with a pomegranate and pine nut relish), I was pretty disappointed with the performance of the women's team. They did try to play it safe by offering up "familiar" foods to the bachelor's guests rather than make the guests happy and wow the judges, something that the men's team pulled off almost flawlessly.
The men's team rocked the poolside party, managing to pair well with the individual shots and offer up something creative and imaginative. In other words: something cheffy and appropriate. Michael V. completely transformed the golden delicious shot into something inventive and appetizing, delivering an apple sorbet and goat cheese cookie that transformed the sickly sweetness of the shot into something subtle and remarkable. Hector took the blandness of tofu and invigorated it with flavor, offering a tofu, lemon-lime tequila ceviche and guajillo-achiote tortilla that was intensely flavored and memorable. Likewise, Eli conjured up a unique Thai tuna tartare with puffed wild rice, coconut milk, and ginger that removed from memory every bland, underseasoned tuna tartare that came before.
But it was Bryan's dish, a whimsical sweet-and-sour macaroon filled with guacamole, corn nuts, and corn puree that really was the stand-out dish of the evening for me. It was so unexpected, so utterly distinctive and original that I was blown away by its elegance and complexity. It was after all, a play on chips and guacamole with margaritas but Bryan so magically infused it with an aura of mystery and lyrical playfulness that it was a sight to behold. No surprise then that he walked away with the win for the Elimination Challenge. Could there be two brothers left standing in the final rounds? This week proved that there very well might be...
It was no surprise who ended up in the bottom four this week for their lackluster dishes. Eve's Gulf shrimp and avocado ceviche with smokey tomato salsa, creme fraiche, and popcorn was a muddled mess of conflicting flavors and underdeveloped seasoning. Ashley could have cooked just one incredible dish (watermelon carpaccio with ricotta salata and aged balsamic) but instead bizarrely opted to cook two, creating a bay leaf and vanilla panna cotta with cranberry powder and honey as a dessert, which failed to hit its mark entirely. (It was bitter, wrinkly, and lacked the right consistency.)
The judges berated Preeti for the inelegance and lack of adroitness of her dish, coriander and sesame-crusted tuna with spicy eggplant, shiso leaf, and wonton crisp which seemed sad and out of place among the complexity and skill of many of the other dishes. And finally Jessie was reduced to tears when the judges critiqued her Thai chicken lettuce cup with shiitake mushrooms, shiso, and ginger beer, a muddle of ingredients and ideas that failed to be executed properly.
Fortunately, it was the grating Eve who was told to pack her knives and go. I'm glad that she's gotten the boot early; personally, I would have sent her home last week. Even putting aside her voice, Eve hasn't proven in the two installments so far that she can actually pull off a dish. And, let's be honest, the stakes are far too high to keep someone in this competition who is clearly out of her element.
Who do you think should have won? And who should have gotten cut from the pack? Discuss.
Next week on a special extended episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Thunderbirds"), the contestants must serve 300 pilots and crew from the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron with the same "Pride, Precision and Professionalism" on deck that the Thunderbirds show in the air. Plus, Campanile's Mark Peel stops by to guest judge.
Top Chef Preview: Crackin' The Whip
Top Chef Preview: Coming to a Boil
Channel Surfing: NBC Delays "Southland," "Chuck" Co-Creator Josh Schwartz to Pen CBS Comedy Script, "Heathers" Resurrected at FOX, and More
Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.
NBC has announced that it is delaying the second season launch of Southland by a month. The Warner Bros. Television-produced series, which premiered last spring, was slated to launch its sophomore season on Friday, September 25th but will now instead debut on Friday, October 23rd. The reason behind the late change? According to Variety's Michael Schneider, "insiders said the Peacock hopes to use the extra month to further promote the show, which they worried was getting lost in the fall marketing shuffle." Southland was meant to launch on the same evening as Medium and Dollhouse. (Variety)
Chuck co-creator Josh Schwartz and Chuck producer Matt Miller will write an untitled multi-camera comedy pilot script for CBS about a twenty-something couple who have just gotten married and return home after their honeymoon and must learn how to navigate life together. (The premise was inspired by Schwartz and Miller's own recent weddings.) Project hails from Warner Bros. Television, where Schwartz has a deal. (Hollywood Reporter)
FOX is said to be developing a contemporary update of 1989 feature film Heathers (one of my personal faves) with Mark Rizzo (Zip) on board to adapt the dark comedy as an ongoing series. Additionally, Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City) has come on board the project as a non-writing executive producer. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Lakeshore Entertainment, will reset the film's storyline--about a group of loathsome mean girls who begin dying when one of their members, Veronica, meets J.D., a dangerous new guy at school, and the bodies start to pile up. (Variety)
TNT has ordered a third season of heist drama Leverage, with fifteen episodes of the series expected to air in Summer 2010. (via press release)
Supernatural fans have to head over to The Chicago Tribune where Maureen Ryan has a fantastic and lengthy interview with Supernatural creator/executive producer Eric Kripke, in which he teases that the next season of Supernatural will offer "the fun Apocalypse." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)
Melissa McCarthy (Samantha Who, Gilmore Girls) has signed on to appear in a recurring role on ABC's fall comedy series Hank, starring Kelsey Grammer. According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, McCarthy will play Dawn, the wife of David Koechner's Grady, which would make her Hank's sister-in-law. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Sony Pictures Television has signed a two-year first-look deal with Sam Raimi and Josh Donen's shingle Stars Road Entertainment, under which they will develop network and cable drama series projects for the studio while staying away from the horror genre. The duo have hired former CBS executive Robert Zotnowski to oversee the push into television. Meanwhile, Robert Tapert will continue to remain involved as Raimi's producing partner. (Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has some scoop on what's coming up for Jane Krakwoski’s Jenna on 30 Rock, revealing that Jenna lands the lead role in a Twilight rip-off. "For tax reasons, they shoot it in Iceland and then they realize the sun doesn’t set," executive producer Robert Carlock told Ausiello. "So they’re shooting a vampire movie without having night." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
ITV1 has commissioned a seven-part period drama series Downton Abbey from writer Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) that is set at an Edwardian-era country manor house. Series, which will consist of a 90-minute opener and then six one-hour installments, "will focus on the relationship between the Crawley family, who own the Downton estate, and their staff, who live and work at the house. While some are loyal and committed to the family, others try to improve their status, find love and follow adventure." (Broadcast)
Lennie James (Jericho) has been cast in FOX's Lie to Me, where he will play Ray Marsh, the nemesis to Tim Roth's Cal Lightman. Marsh, writes Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, is described as "a charming Brit who ran scams with Lightman way back when and who is now on the FBI and Scotland Yard watch lists. Ray once took the fall for Lightman and spent time in prison as a result. Now, after a 20-year estrangement, Ray is back to collect what he believes he is owed." James will make his first appearance in the second season's fifth episode. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Just three weeks after its launch, Style has renewed docusoap Guiliana and Bill for a second season. (Variety)
MTV has ordered horror telepic My Super Psycho Sweet 16, in which a serial killer hunts down teens at a high-end birthday bash at a roller rink. Telepic, executive produced by Maggie Malina, has already been shot. The cabler also ordered musical/dance telepic Turn the Beat Around from executive producers Tony Krantz and Steve Levitan and a scripted telepic version of the channel's Made. (Hollywood Reporter)
Lewis Black will star in an original comedy special Stark Raving Black for the nascent pay cable channel Epix, a joint venture between Lionsgate, MGM, and Viacom, which will air the special, filmed in Detroit, in December as well as playing in select theatres in 20 markets. (Variety)
Former Hat Trick co-founder Denise O'Donoghue has been hired as president of international television productions at NBC Universal International, where she will spearhead the studio's local production business, expand their international format licensing initiatives, and "[shorten] the format pipeline" between the US and the UK. (Hollywood Reporter)
Stay tuned.
Imagine the high stakes tension of Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can crossed with the rapid-fire humor of The Thin Man films and the slick, elegant style of Mad Men.
Still with me? Combine those elements and you begin to approximate the effervescent and engaging new crime drama series White Collar, which launches in October on USA.
Created by Jeff Eastin (Hawaii) and directed by Bronwen Hughes (Burn Notice), White Collar is a cat-and-mouse chase with a twist: the bad guy was caught years ago by the good guy and now assists him in tracking down other nefarious types using his criminal skills, deductive powers, and roguish good looks.
The good guy in this case is FBI Agent Peter Stokes (Tell Me You Love Me's Tim DeKay), a grimly determined G-man assigned to the bureau's white collar crimes division. Which means that he spends his days (and often nights) tracking down art forgers, embezzlers, and con artists with a mix of relish and reluctance, given the quality time he's missing with his beautiful and supportive wife Debbie (What About Brian's Tiffani Thiessen).
As for the bad guy in this equation? It's impish criminal genius Neal Caffrey (Chuck's Matthew Bomer), a man who could charm the skin off a snake... and steal its fangs at the same time. He's so utterly charming that Peter Stokes spent years tracking him down and landing him in a maximum security prison to serve out a four-year sentence.
Or is it? Caffrey manages to cut a deal with a highly reluctant Stokes: in exchange for getting him released from prison (his little escape plot landed him an additional four years), he'll be released into Stokes' custody, fitted with an ankle monitor, and he'll bring his criminal expertise to helping Stokes track down the biggest and baddest white collar miscreants, like the enigmatic forger The Dutchman (guest star Mark Sheppard), a man nearly as elusive as Caffrey himself.
And that's where White Collar's story really kicks off, as Caffrey becomes a valuable (if not quite trusted) member of Stokes' crack FBI task force and opts for a cushier life than the one that Stokes arranges for him at a fleabag motel, instead moving into a luxe mansion owned by June (Diahann Carroll), a gorgeous widow whose husband had himself been a stylish felon like Caffrey. Besuited and bedecked in the finest vintage fashion labels (Devore, no less), Caffrey cuts quite a figure. But it's not enough to earn him even a batted eyelash from Stokes' FBI probie Diana (Lost's Marsha Thomason), a gorgeous lesbian agent who Stokes jokes would rather wear Caffrey's fedora than swoon over it.
Despite being inside for four years, Caffrey still has a few tricks up his stylish sleeves and a network of informants, information-gatherers, and criminal experts to turn to when he's gently bending the rules of his release agreement. One such underworld contact is the shadowy and hysterical Mozzie (Sex and the City's Willie Garson), a career criminal with a penchant for banter and intelligence gathering.
While White Collar could be a run of the mill crime drama, it's elevated to new levels by the charisma and chemistry between DeKay and Bomer, who are both so perfectly cast and at ease in their roles that it's easy to fall for their inimical charms. DeKay nails the role of a weary FBI agent whose job it is to stay two steps ahead of the most mercurial individuals while never seeming like a dull stick-in-the-mud or irritatingly lifeless. Bomer effortlessly pulls off Caffrey's charming and debonair ways with a carefree energy and wicked spirit. These two are so brilliant in these roles that it's hard to imagine any other actor playing them with such panache. In their capable hands, Stokes and Caffrey engage in a deliciously mismatched partnership based on mutual distrust, respect, and oneupsmanship.
Kudos too to Thomason for turning what could be a one-dimensional role into a dynamic and memorable character whose sexuality isn't her defining quality but merely one aspect of her overall personality.
The writing in the pilot, courtesy of Jeff Eastin, is whip-smart and there are some great dramatic plants and payoffs as well as sly banter between the two leads and some nice surprises along the way. Director Bronwen Hughes keeps things moving at a brisk pace but also deftly showcases the beauty of the New York skyline and Caffrey's throwback fashioning with a real sense of love and admiration for time gone by. The feeling is something modern but embedded with nostalgia of an era long past; it's fast-paced but never loses sight of Caffrey's devilish nature.
Ultimately, White Collar is a perfect addition to USA's stable of quirky procedural dramas but also pushes the formula into a new direction, infusing the old tropes of criminal investigation with a sense of style, whimsy, and elegant fun. Sy Devore and the Rat Pack that he so chicly clothed would be proud.
White Collar premieres Friday, October 23rd at 10 pm ET/PT on USA. Continue reading full story...
With the start of the fall season nearly upon us (in roughly two weeks' time), I'm wondering just what you're most excited about watching this autumn.
I'll be sharing my picks for new and returning series next week but I thought I'd get a jump on the upcoming season by asking you, my readers, which series you are most looking forward to and why.
Are you super-excited for ABC's FlashForward or does ABC's V rock your world more? Are ABC's Modern Family and NBC's Community the end-all, be-all of new comedies? Intrigued by The Good Wife or Three Rivers at CBS? So keen for the series launch of FOX's Glee that you've been singing along all summer? Or eagerly awaiting the launch of HBO's comedy Bored to Death?
Are you looking forward to the return of 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, or Bones, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sons of Anarchy, or other returning series?
Discuss.
Channel Surfing: "Sex and Murder" in the "Dollhouse," Same-Sex Snog for "Gossip Girl," Quinn Finds "Beautiful Life," and More
Welcome to your Wednesday television briefing.
E! Online's Jennifer Godwin has a look at what lies ahead for FOX's Dollhouse as she catches up with the Joss Whedon-created series' stars to get some dirt on what's going on inside the Dollhouse next season. "They have a connection," said Tahmoh Penikett of Echo and Paul Ballard next season. "It's not a physical attraction, but I hope it's something that we explore a lot more this season. You're not quite sure what it is. There's a past, there's a history, there's an understanding between them that's very different. I think the audience is really going to like it and be really curious about where we're going in the first few episodes." As for that other would-be couple, Sierra and Victor, Enver Gjokah said, "Sierra and Victor are definitely still involved. They're going to explore that relationship more. They explore the Sierra-and-Victor love as dolls, but then also they're going to go into the backstory of both of them." Lots more detail in the piece, which also hints at just what Season Two is about ("sex and murder"). (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ed Westwick's Chuck Bass will lock lips this season on Gossip Girl with another man, namely Neal Bledsoe's Josh Ellis, NYU's head of freshman affairs. So what spurs the kissing exactly? "Since Josh is tasked with selecting an incoming student for the honor of delivering the freshman speech, he’s, shall we say, a person of interest to Blair," writes Ausiello. "In fact, she’s so determined to snag the slot that she goes so far as to pimp out her boyfriend to the gay guy in charge." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Ed Quinn (True Blood, Eureka) has been cast in the CW's upcoming fall drama series The Beautiful Life, where he will play the husband of Elle Macpherson's Claudia Foster, a former supermodel who now runs an elite modeling agency. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
Beau Bridges (Stargate SG-1) will guest star in an episode of TNT's The Closer next season, where he will play George Andrews, the former partner of G.W. Bailey's Provenza, who "returns to help close a case that has been turned over on appeal." (TVGuide.com)
Paula Abdul will host VH1's VH1 Divas, which returns to the network on September 17th and features performances from Leona Lewis, Adele, Jordin Sparks, Miley Cyrus, and Kelly Clarkson. (Variety)
Zap2It's KorbiTV has a first look at ABC's new promo for Season Six of drama series Grey's Anatomy. (Zap2It)
ABC has given a pilot script order with a penalty to an untitled multi-camera comedy from writer/executive producer Garland Testa (King of the Hill). Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, revolves around a young couple with children who try to balance the adult responsibilities of parenthood with their own youth. (Hollywood Reporter)
Kids cabler Nickelodeon has ordered two live-action comedy series, Victorious and an untitled Scott Fellows project, that will be co-produced with Sony Music and will feature original songs. Twenty episodes apiece were ordered for both series, with the untitled Scott Fellows project, about a boy band that wins a reality television competition, set to launch this fall and Victorious, about a girl who enrolls at a performing arts high school, on tap for January 2010. (Variety)
A&E is moving forward with Jackson family docuseries Jackson Family Dynasty, which will follow Michael Jackson's brothers dealing with their grief over his death and their own issues. A&E plans to launch the series, from executive producer Jodi Gomes, later this year. (Hollywood Reporter)
Sky1 has acquired UK rights to ABC comedy Modern Family, which will launch on the pay satcaster in October. (Broadcast)
Rumors are swirling that Hulu might be close to a deal with ITV in the United Kingdom, under which the terrestrial channel would retain a sizable stake, said to be around 25 percent, in the UK version of the online streaming media player. (Variety)
Broadcasting & Cable's Claire Atkinson is reporting that top executives Maria Grasso and Nina Wass have now left OWN in order to pursue other opportunities; the network, owned by Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, has yet to launch. Move comes after the network hired former NBC executive Jamila Hunter as head of programming. (Broadcasting & Cable)
Former ABC executive Jocelyn Diaz has been hired by HBO as the head of drama development and production at HBO Entertainment. Elsewhere at the pay cabler, Casey Bloys has been promoted to SVP of comedy, where he will oversee development and production on HBO's comedy series, including Hung and Bored to Death. (Variety)
The Real Housewives are coming to daytime. NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution has signed a deal with NBC's owned TV stations for a one-hour daily syndicated strip of The Real Housewives that will launch in Fall 2010. Terms were based on an all-barter basis for the more than 100 episodes of the series. (Broadcasting & Cable)
FremantleMedia Enterprises has acquired international rights to Australian teen drama Slide, which will launch with an online prequel before debuting a linear series on pay television channel Foxtel in April. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
