With Thanksgiving behind us (for the American readers, anyway) and the holiday season nearly upon us, I'm curious to know which holiday classics--either new or old--you and your family watch on a recurring basis this time of year.
In the Televisionary household, there's always been a fondness for Elf, Charlie Brown Christmas (which is airing next Tuesday), Olive the Other Reindeer, and Muppet Christmas Carol, along with the Christmas-related episodes of BBC's Vicar of Dibley, an annual tradition, particularly "The Christmas Lunch Incident."
(My wife is also a big fan of White Christmas as well and I'll admit an unwavering love for Richard Curtis' Love Actually.)
But we also usually watch the entirety of BBC/PBS mini-series Bleak House as well. And the latter has nothing to do with any holiday, secular or otherwise. (Andrew Davies' gripping adaptation of Charles Dickens' novels just bloody good television and the perfect thing to watch on cold winter evenings.)
Which brings me to my question: what television specials or movies do you typically put on just before the holidays kick off? Which films/specials are rightly viewed as classics and which ones should get added to that list? Are you a sucker for A Christmas Story? Devoted to rewatching Doctor Who Christmas specials? Can't get enough of How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Discuss.
Looking to discuss last night's episode of CBS' The Amazing Race?
Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site where you can read my take on this week's episode, entitled "The Amazing Race: A Kafkaesque Evening in Prague," about the penultimate leg of this season's race, which featured golems, absinthe, ringing telephones, sub-zero rooms, and beer, all while the contestants had to do their best to avoid drunken Prague tourists and soccer hooligans.
Be sure to head to the comments section to weigh in.
Channel Surfing: USA Overhauls Its Schedule, Aunjanue Ellis Takes on "The Mentalist," "Big Love," BBC Confirms "Doctor Who" Dates, and More
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. For those of you Stateside, hope that you're feeling rested (and hopefully recovering from a few days of gluttony) after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Major changes afoot at USA, according to The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan. Rather than follow the plans the cabler had outlined for January, USA has chosen to revise its entire schedule, moving its series White Collar, Burn Notice, and Psych onto separate evenings, come January. White Collar will return to the lineup on January 19th, where it will move into its new timeslot of Tuesday evenings at 10 pm ET/PT. Meanwhile, Psych will take over the Wednesday night slot beginning January 27th and Burn Notice will remain on Thursdays, returning with new episodes on January 21st. The move gives the cabler original series on three weeknights. Perhaps a ploy to lure viewers from broadcast sibling NBC to some scripted fare at 10 pm? (Futon Critic)
Aunjanue Ellis (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3) has been cast in CBS' The Mentalist in a major recurring role. Ellis will play "the beautiful but tough new head of the California Bureau of Investigation who is installed following the resignation of the unit's former chief, Virgil Minelli" (who is played by Gregory Itzin). Her first episode of the Warner Bros. Television-produced drama series will air in April. (Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has a first look at the official poster for Season Four of HBO's Big Love, which returns on January 10th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
BBC One has confirmed its airdates for David Tennant's final two Doctor Who specials, which will air on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, respectively. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two is set to air at 7:30 pm GMT on New Year's Day, followed by EastEnders and the final episode of Gavin & Stacey. (Digital Spy)
Syfy has signed on as the US broadcaster for E1's international co-production of Haven, a thirteen-episode supernatural thriller based on Stephen King's "The Colorado Kid." Pilot will be written by Sam Ernest and Jim Dunn, who will executive produce with showrunner Scott Shepherd, Lloyd Segan, Shawn Piller, John Morayniss, and Noreen Halpern. (Variety)
Pilot casting alert: Lucas Black (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) and Cary Elwes (A Christmas Carol) have been cast in Epix pilot Tough Trade from Lionsgate Television. Black will play an exceptional guitarist and singer who could have followed in his family's musical legacy in Nashville but instead sells illegal ammunition. Elwes will play his father. Elsewhere, Garrett Dillahunt (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) has been cast in Greg Garcia's FOX comedy pilot Keep Hope Alive, where he will play the dysfunctional father of Lucas Neff's Jimmy, a man who has to raise his infant daughter--the product of a one-night stand--after the baby's mother winds up on death row. (Hollywood Reporter)
Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) and Naoko Mori (Torchwood) have been cast in BBC Four's one-off biopic drama Lennon Naked, which will depict the life of John Lennon (Eccleston) between 1967 and 1971. Project, written by Robert Jones (Party Animals) and directed by Edmund Coulthard (Soundproof), will air in 2010. (BBC)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has two exclusive images from the two-hour Smallville: Absolute Justice telepic, which introduces the Justice Society of America. Ausiello has one shot of Justin Hartley's Green Arrow tangling with Michael Shanks' Hawkman and another of Brent Stait's Doctor Fate and Britt Irvin's Stargirl. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Barry Sonnenfeld (Pushing Daisies) will direct ABC comedy pilot Funny in Farsi, based on Firoozeh Dumas' memoir about growing up in Newport Beach in the 1970s after leaving Iran, which was adapted by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai. (Hollywood Reporter)
Tony Curran will play Vincent Van Gogh in an upcoming episode of Doctor Who, slated to air next year as part of the Matt Smith-led Season Five that is written by Richard Curtis (Pirate Radio). ""We've got a brilliant guy playing Vincent van Gogh... He's a guy called Tony Curran, who really could not look more like [him]," Curtis told Bullz-Eye. "He's a wonderful actor who was in this brilliant movie called Red Road that came out, a rather serious movie. But he's going to be great. I’ve had a lot of fun. We start to shoot in about a month." (Digital Spy)
FOX is developing animated comedy series Rooster Tales with executive producers Matthew McConnaughy, Mark Gustawes, Mike McConaughey, and writer Kell Cahoon. Project is based on the life of Mike "Rooster" McConaughey, described as a "a beer-swilling, redneck sheriff who marries a much younger woman from Mexico [and] soon realizes, however, that he's gained not only a wife but an entire clan -- 114 members and counting." Project hails from 20th Century Fox Television and J.K. Livin'. (Variety)
Ryan Devlin (Veronica Mars) has been cast in ABC comedy Cougar Town, where he will recur as Smith, described as "a love interest for Laurie (Busy Philipps), Jules' (Courteney Cox) ditsy assistant and close friend." (Hollywood Reporter)
Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica), Molly Parker (The Road) and Camille Sullivan (Da Vinci's Inquest) have been cast in E1's drama series Shattered, a Canadian series that the indie is shopping to international broadcasters. Project, which will air in Canada on Showcase, will revolve around a homicide detective (Rennie) with multiple personality disorder. (Variety)
TBS comedy VP Nina Howie is leaving the cabler after 3 1/2 years. No reason was given for her departure. (Hollywood Reporter)
Stay tuned.
If you're at all like me, you've been counting down the days until Big Love returns with new episodes... in just a few weeks' time.
Just in time for Thanksgiving, here's your chance to catch a first look at HBO's newly unveiled promo for Season Four of Big Love, a gorgeous teaser trailer that features the Henrickson clan in a state of freefall. (Hmmm, a sign of things to come, perhaps?)
And if you're wondering about the haunting song used in the video? It's "Untitled" by Interpol."
Let the countdown begin...
A more than worthy successor to last season's evocative trailer featuring The Black Keys' "Lies," no?
Season Four of Big Love begins January 10th on HBO. Continue reading full story...
Hate your houseguests?
Over at The Daily Beast, I offer my suggestions for TV-on-DVD viewing during to alleviate stress during the Thanksgiving holiday in a piece entitled "DVD Rentals for Thanksgiving Cranks."
Organizing the weekend into specific time-based sections, I offer some TV-on-DVD suggestions to entertain and divert everyone's attention from squabbling relatives and burnt Brussels sprouts.
Of course, you needn't hate your houseguests this holiday season to enjoy the bounty of TV collections on DVD, either...
Looking to discuss last night's fall finale of ABC's V ("It's Only the Beginning"), written by Cameron Litvack and Angela Russo-Otstot?
Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site where you can read my write-up of last night's episode of V (entitled "V: The way of the gun") and weigh in on the twists from last night's episode.
Did the four episodes live up to your expectations? Will you be tuning in when the series returns with its back nine episodes?
Be sure to head to the comments section to discuss the latest installment and what you think will happen when V returns from his hiatus in the spring.
V returns to the ABC schedule in March 2010.
Channel Surfing: "Fringe" to Go on Hiatus in February, FOX Announces Midseason Schedule, "Lie to Me" Gets Full Season, "Burn Notice" Renewed, and More
Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Just a few headlines to get through today as the Hollywood PR machine begins its annual shutdown for Thanksgiving.
Futon Critic yesterday broke the story that Fringe will go on a seven-week hiatus beginning February 11th in order to accommodate the seven-week run of reincarnation drama Past Life. Fringe will return for the remainder of its run on April 1st and will air all-new episodes for the rest of the season. Sadly, FOX has opted to keep Fringe in its Thursday night berth rather than move it out of the line of fire. (Futon Critic)
FOX announced its full midseason schedule yesterday afternoon, which included news that Glee will be returning with new episodes in April after wrapping up its initial thirteen-episode commitment in December. (Televisionary)
In other FOX-related news, the network has given sophomore drama series Lie to Me a full season order, bringing the episodic total this season to 22 installments. News comes after FOX ordered three additional scripts for the Shawn Ryan-produced series but there's no indication as of yet when Lie to Me will return to the schedule or in what timeslot. (Hollywood Reporter)
USA has renewed Burn Notice for a fourth season, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, who is reporting that despite press reports in July about a renewal, a deal for Season Four only came together on Monday. Burn Notice's fourth season would likely launch in summer 2010. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Lea Thompson has been cast in ABC Family's Greek, where she will play April, the free-spirited mother of Scott Michael Foster's Cappie. (24's Jim Abele will play his father Tobias.) Thompson and Abele are set to appear in the latter half of Greek's next ten-episode cycle, which kicks off on January 25th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Carolina Lightcap has been named president of Disney Channels Worldwide effective immediately. Lightcap replaces Rich Ross, who left the division last month to become become chairman of Walt Disney Studios. (Hollywood Reporter)
TiVo has signed a deal with Virgin Media in the UK to roll out a set-top box that will be co-branded and allow broadband delivery. "TiVo’s proven track record of innovation, strength of its patented technology and experience in developing best in class user environments, make it an ideal strategic partner for Virgin Media as we move aggressively to bring our next generation TV service to market," said Virgin's CEO Neil Berkett. "The superiority of our fibre optic network combined with TiVo’s capabilities, will allow us to offer consumers the most significantly advanced and compelling TV service available in the UK, and we believe will do to the TV market what Virgin Media has done to the high speed broadband market." (Broadcast)
CMT has ordered Posse: The Young Guns of PBR, a one-hour special that follows eight pro bull riders as they travel across the US looking to become the next Professional Bull Rider champion. Special will air on December 12th. (Hollywood Reporter)
Stay tuned.
FOX today announced their midseason plans for 2009-2010, unveiling a lineup that includes giving reincarnation drama Past Life the post-Bones slot on Thursday evenings (current occupant Fringe will be going on a prolonged hiatus for seven weeks), bringing Kitchen Nightmares back (on Friday nights this time around) and giving the post-American Idol slot to new reality series Our Little Genius.
MONDAYS: The network announced that it had given a full season pickup to drama series Lie to Me, though the Shawn Ryan-produced series will take a breather on Mondays, which will be taken over by House and 24 come January. There's no return date yet for Lie to Me but the pickup ensures that the series will eventually return to the schedule at some point during the season.
TUESDAYS: Which brings us to Glee. We all knew that the musical comedy would go on hiatus after its initial thirteen-episode commitment and that there would need to be some time for scripting and production and that it would get a post-Idol slot. Glee will shift to Tuesday nights beginning April 13th (following the conclusion of Our Little Genius), where it will do battle with ABC's Lost, entering its sixth and final season. (As I mentioned on Twitter, if I am forced to choose between the two, Lost wins with no contest.)
WEDNESDAYS: The Idol juggernaut continues on Wednesdays, where it will lead into new unscripted series Our Little Genius beginning January 13th for a week before moving to Tuesdays and giving the timeslot to new action drama Human Target. (I wasn't crazy at all about the pilot for Human Target and, unless the producers have completely altered the format and structure of the series, I won't be tuning in.)
THURSDAYS: The biggest headscratcher is why FOX wouldn't move the struggling sophomore drama series Fringe off of Thursdays. Fringe will instead have its "winter finale" on February 4th and will return seven weeks later with new episodes on April 1st. In between those dates, FOX will give over the timeslot to Past Life. Having seen the pilot for the reincarnation drama, I would be amazed if FOX kept it around for all eight episodes. (FOX will launch the series with a two-hour premiere on February 11th.)
FRIDAYS: Kitchen Nightmares returns in midseason and lands the Friday night at 9 pm timeslot, taking over for the cancelled Dollhouse, which wraps up its run on January 22nd. However, it's likely a good thing that FOX is choosing to rest Hell's Kitchen for the time being. I assume they'll wait to bring the format back until summertime and I hear that they have two cycles of the reality competition cycle already in the can.
SUNDAYS: Sunday nights remain more or less intact after the start of 24's two-night launch on January 17th, with The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad remaining as is from the current schedule. Come March 14th, new live-action comedy Sons of Tucson will take over the 8:30 pm slot and The Cleveland Show will shift to 9:30 pm for the remainder of the season.
And, oh, FOX was generous enough to make sure we all knew that unkillable comedy 'Til Death would return to the schedule at "a later date."
The full press release from FOX announcing their midseason lineup and the night-by-night schedule (with launch dates) can be found below.
“AMERICAN IDOL” RETURNS WITH TWO-NIGHT SEASON PREMIERE
TUESDAY, JAN. 12 AND WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13
NEW UNSCRIPTED SERIES “OUR LITTLE GENIUS” DEBUTS
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13
NEW ACTION DRAMA “HUMAN TARGET” PREVIEWS
DURING EXTENDED PRIMETIME SUNDAY, JAN. 17 AND
MAKES ITS SERIES PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20
“24” STARTS THE CLOCK DURING TWO-NIGHT, FOUR-HOUR EVENT
SUNDAY, JAN. 17 AND MONDAY, JAN. 18
CELEBRATE THE “BEST. 20 YEARS. EVER.” OF “THE SIMPSONS”
WITH “THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE!”
AND MILESTONE 450TH EPISODE SUNDAY, JAN. 10
GORDON RAMSAY’S “KITCHEN NIGHTMARES” TURNS UP THE HEAT
FRIDAY, JAN. 29
NEW THRILLER “PAST LIFE” EMERGES THURSDAY, FEB. 11
AND NEW COMEDY “SONS OF TUCSON” DEBUTS SUNDAY, MARCH 14
“GLEE” ROCKS ITS FALL FINALE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9
AND RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW EPISODES TUESDAY, APRIL 13
“FRINGE” AIRS WINTER FINALE THURSDAY, FEB. 4
AND RESURFACES WITH ALL-NEW EPISODES THURSDAY, APRIL 1
“LIE TO ME” PICKED UP FOR THE BACK NINE EPISODES BRINGING
THE ORDER TO A FULL SEASON
FOX is announcing premiere dates of new and returning series as well as revisions to its 2009-2010 midseason schedule. FOX also has ordered a full season of the sophomore drama LIE TO ME.
January starts off on a high note when the ninth season of AMERICAN IDOL, television’s No. 1 series, begins with a two-night premiere Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Immediately following AMERICAN IDOL on Jan. 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), FOX unveils the not-to-be-missed series debut of OUR LITTLE GENIUS, a new unscripted series that features America’s most gifted kids as they are tested with some of the most challenging and difficult questions that only a remarkable little genius could answer.
A special extended primetime event on Sunday, Jan. 17 kicks off with the NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (4:00 PM-CC ET live/1:00 PM-CC PT live), which leads into the explosive series preview of HUMAN TARGET (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), the new full-throttle, action-packed drama about a unique private contractor (Mark Valley) who will stop at nothing – even if it means becoming a human target – to save his clients. The special primetime event concludes with the first installment of the pulse-pounding two-night, four-hour premiere of 24 (9:00-11:00 PM ET/PT). The season premiere of 24 clocks in for two more hours of action Monday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and the season premiere of HUMAN TARGET airs Wednesday, Jan. 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) following AMERICAN IDOL (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).
On Sunday, Jan. 10, FOX presents a special SIMPSONS event beginning with the animated series’ milestone 450th episode, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield” (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), in which BART (Nancy Cartwright) and MILHOUSE (Pamela Hayden) try to help KRUSTY (Dan Castellaneta) regain his popularity after network executives force him to restructure the format of his television show by hiring a female sidekick, PRINCESS PENELOPE (guest voice Anne Hathaway). Then, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me,” “30 Days”) will present THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE! (8:30-9:30 PM ET/PT). The documentary special examines the global phenomenon that is THE SIMPSONS and serves as the momentous conclusion to the “Best. 20 Years. Ever.,” a year-long global celebration of THE SIMPSONS that launched in January 2009.
Chef Gordon Ramsay steps out of his own kitchen to serve up a new season of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES on Friday, Jan. 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Each week, Chef Ramsay will try to help turn around some of the most unsanitary and unsuccessful restaurants in New York, New Jersey, Florida and California on the verge of closing their doors forever.
PAST LIFE, a new drama series inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” about detectives who investigate the world of the unexplained, will bow with a two-hour series premiere Thursday, Feb. 11 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and will make its time period premiere Thursday, Feb. 18 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
SONS OF TUCSON, the new family comedy from Emmy Award winner Todd Holland (“Wonderfalls”) about three young brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison, debuts Sunday, March 14 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT).
AMERICAN IDOL sings on Tuesdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) when it makes its time period premiere Jan. 19 followed by the time period premiere of OUR LITTLE GENIUS (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and 24 syncs up for its time period premiere Monday, Jan. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
After its fall finale Wednesday, Dec. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), GLEE returns from its interlude with a score of all-new episodes on a new night beginning Tuesday, April 13 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). FRINGE delves into its winter finale Thursday, Feb. 4 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and then resurfaces with new cases beginning Thursday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE goes out with a bang with its series finale Friday, Jan. 22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
(All times ET/PT except as noted)
MONDAY
Monday, Jan. 4:
7:30 PM-CC ET TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL (LIVE)
Monday, Jan. 18:
8:00-10:00 PM 24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season Premiere, Part 2)
Mondays, beginning Jan. 25:
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24 (Time Period Premiere)
****************************
TUESDAY
Tuesday, Jan. 5:
7:30 PM-CC ET FEDEX ORANGE BOWL (LIVE)
Tuesday, Jan. 12:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 1)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 19:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Time Period Premiere)
Tuesdays, beginning April 13:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE (Time Period Premiere)
***************************
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Jan. 13:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 2)
9:00-10:00 PM OUR LITTLE GENIUS (Series Premiere)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 20:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (Series Premiere)
***************************
THURSDAY
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 14 (no change to lineup):
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (All-New Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (All-New Episodes)
Thursday, Feb. 4:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (Winter Finale)
Thursday, Feb. 11:
8:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE (Two-Hour Series Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Feb. 18:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE (Time Period Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning April 1:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (Time Period Premiere)
***************************
FRIDAY
Friday, Jan. 1:
8:00 PM-CC ET ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL (LIVE)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 8:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Encore Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE (All-New Episodes)
Friday, Jan. 22:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Encore Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE (Series Finale)
Fridays, beginning Jan. 29:
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Encore Episodes)
9:00-10:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES (Season Premiere)
**************************
SATURDAY
Saturdays (no change to lineup):
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW
Midnight-12:30 AM SIT DOWN, SHUT UP
***************************
SUNDAY
Sunday, Jan. 10:
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (450th Milestone Episode)
8:30-9:30 PM THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE!
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
Sunday, Jan. 17:
4:00 PM-CC ET NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF (LIVE)
8:00-9:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (Series Preview)
9:00-11:00 PM 24 (2-Night / 4-Hour Season Premiere, Part 1)
Sunday, Jan. 24:
6:00 PM-CC ET NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (LIVE)
Sundays, beginning Jan. 31 (no change to lineup):
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS (All-New Episodes)
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (All-New Episodes)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY (All-New Episodes)
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD (All-New Episodes)
Sunday, March 14:
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Time Period Premiere)
[EDITOR’S NOTE 1: LIE TO ME will return to the schedule in the late spring, and ‘TIL DEATH will return to the schedule at a later date.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE 2: THE CLEVELAND SHOW takes over the timeslot previously held by AMERICAN DAD, which will return to the schedule at a later date.]
[EDITOR’S NOTE 3: THE SIMPSONS milestone 450th episode and THE SIMPSONS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: IN 3-D! ON ICE! special, which were previously announced to air Thursday, Jan. 14, are now scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 10.] Continue reading full story...
Looking for more Mad Men goodness?
I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Mad Men creator/executive producer Matthew Weiner about the third season finale of the AMC period drama. (Which hopefully you read here.)
Now, two weeks after the season finale aired, you can get a look at some never-before-seen details from that interview, which includes some rather illuminating information about the third season..
Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read my piece "Mad Men Postmortem, Part Two," as Weiner discusses the theme of change in Mad Men’s third season, his narrative use of the Kennedy assassination, the decision made by Betty to leave her husband, Don (Jon Hamm), Greg enlisting in the army, that bloodthirsty John Deere, and much more.
Let me know what you think and head over to the comments section to discuss.
ABC's sci-fi series V wraps up the first part of its first season run tonight at 8 pm ET/PT before it returns with new episodes in March.
I had the chance to watch tonight's episode over the weekend and absolutely loved it. You can head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site to read my advance review of the fourth episode of V, which I am referring to as the series' fall finale.
Be sure to head over to the comments section (or leave a thought here) about what you think tonight's episode will hold for the Visitors and the humans... and tune in tonight for quite a few surprising twists.
V airs tonight at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
Time to go down the yellow brick road again.
Yes, Stateside Life on Mars fans, that day has finally arrived as Acorn Media today releases the complete second season of the original UK drama series Life on Mars on DVD.
Forget about the lackluster (and mercifully short-lived) American version and travel back to the 1970s with the original UK Life on Mars, which has only deepened and grown more mysterious and provocative after its abrupt conclusion in 2007.
Not up to speed on the franchise? Created by Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, and Ashley Pharoah, Life on Mars is an alternately trippy and gritty crime drama series that follows the adventures of Detective Inspector Sam Tyler (John Simm), a grimly determined investigator in present-day Manchester who is seemingly thrown backwards in time. While in pursuit of the serial killer that abducted his girlfriend, Sam is struck by a car and finds himself mysteriously in 1973 Manchester, where he comes face to face with a personal mystery from his childhood and the best fictional copper on television, the swaggering misanthrope Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister). Can Sam get home and save his girlfriend? Has he traveled back in time? Or is he losing his mind completely?
Season Two deepens the mystery and the drama even as Sam moves closer both to understanding the nature of the place he's in (is he deep within his subconscious? is he in a coma in a hospital someplace) and to a full-blown romance with female copper Annie (Liz White), who might just be one of the most perfectly realized love interests ever to grace the small screen. He's also forced to make a number of life-altering choices throughout the second season. Can be betray his boss, Gene Hunt? Can he leave his police colleagues in jeopardy if an escape route back to his normal life materializes? What price do these decisions have on his very being?
The second season brilliant answers these questions and more, offering a metaphysical mystery that unfolds over eight gripping installments that juxtapose Sam's struggle to regain his life with a vintage procedural police series that's both a parody of such 1970s cop television fixtures as The Sweeney and a gripping tour de force in its own right. (Hell, Glenister's Gene Hunt has proven so popular and so iconic that he's a major element of the sequel series Ashes to Ashes.)
The four-disc release of Life on Mars: Series 2 includes a slew of bonus material including a 45-minute documentary entitled "The Return of Life on Mars," behind-the-scenes footage of select episodes, a tour of the series' set, and a 28-minute featurette entitled "The End of Life on Mars." (Which, if I'm being honest, makes me teary-eyed every time I watch it.)
Ultimately, Life on Mars is one series that is virtually impossible to pigeonhole into a genre and that's a very good thing at the end of the day. Is it sci-fi? A police procedural? Who cares, it’s bloody good television that proves impossible to look away from.
Life on Mars: Series 2 is available today on DVD for the suggested retail price of $59.99. Or pick it up in the Televisionary store for just $39.49 today.
Channel Surfing: USA Renews "Psych," ABC Halts Production on "FlashForward," Drea de Matteo Not Fired from "Housewives," and More
Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.
USA has renewed dramedy Psych for a fifth season, set air in summer 2010. The series, which is set to become USA's longest running original drama series in production, will air the second half of its fourth season beginning in January. (Variety)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ABC has temporarily halted production on drama series FlashForward, which again hit a new series low last week and has seen some behind-the-scenes drama with the departure of showrunner Marc Guggenheim. The production shutdown will last six days. "They started production early so that they could have the luxury to do this," an ABC spokesperson tells Ausiello. "They want to maintain the high quality of the show, and this gives the writers the opportunity to do so." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
No truth to rumors that Drea de Matteo is going to be written out of ABC's Desperate Housewives, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "Per my source, the terms of de Matteo’s Housewives contract — which calls for her to appear in 20 of this season’s 23 episodes — remain unchanged," writes Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
James Remar (Dexter) has been cast in a recurring role on the CW's supernatural drama Vampire Diaries, where he will play Stefan and Damon's father, described as "an aristocrat from the Civil War era." He's currently slated to appear in at least one episode. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams has an interview with V star Laura Vandervoort, who plays the blond Visitor named Lisa. Vandervoort says that she doesn't want Lisa and Logan Huffman's Tyler to have an alien-human baby, however. "No. Even though I'd love to eat anything I want and have a belly for a season, I don't want them to head in that direction just because their relationship is really pure and innocent," she told Abrams. "I think if that did happen, it would be because Anna had told her to do that, to make that mixed race. I kind of want things to go slow for them, and I want it to be a Romeo & Juliet situation in that they have to be together, but they can't. Erica [Elizabeth Mitchell] is an FBI agent and my mother is the leader of the Visitors. That's two different families being torn apart." (TVGuide.com)
Cougar Town is set to resume production next week following the unexpected production shutdown (due to Courteney Cox's recent undisclosed family issue) and a planned hiatus this week. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
FX has signed a deal with Summit Entertainment for the basic cable rights to the Twilight franchise feature films beginning with Twilight in late 2011 and New Moon a year later. Deal also gives the cabler the rights to air The Hurt Locker, Knowing, and Push. (Variety)
TV Guide Network will air the FremantleMedia-produced special I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story on December 13th, the same day that it will air in the UK on ITV1. (Hollywood Reporter)
TruTV has ordered a second season of docuseries All Worked Up, with thirteen new episodes on tap for the spring. Series, from RDF USA, had launched with six episodes on October 19th. (Hollywood Reporter)
Nick Lachey will host NBC a capella musical competition series The Sing-Off, which launches on December 14th. (Variety)
Endemol has acquired three British production companies from IMG Worlwide, securing a deal worth approximately $50 million for Tiger Aspect, Darlow Smithson, and Tigress. Despite the change in hands, all three companies will "retain creative freedom" under Endemol UK. (Hollywood Reporter)
Stay tuned.
Sunday Night Television: The Season Finale of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and Latest Episode of "The Amazing Race"
Looking to discuss last night's season finale of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and the latest episode of CBS' The Amazing Race?
Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site where you can read my takes on both episodes, including last night's Seinfeld-centric season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm and the latest installment of CBS' The Amazing Race, which featured some whiny behavior, dirty gamesmanship, and a laughing opera singer.
Be sure to head to the comments section to weigh in on both episodes.
Good news for Stateside Doctor Who fans.
BBC America has announced that David Tennant's final two Doctor Who specials, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two, will premiere during the holiday season, with the first set to air on BBC America on December 26th at 9 pm ET/PT.
Yes, you read that correctly: it's just a day after the UK broadcast.
Meanwhile, BBC America said that an announcement on an airdate for the final David Tennant special, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two will be issued "very soon." [Update: Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two is set to air during the Christmas holiday season in the UK, although not necessarily on New Year's Eve itself.]
Meanwhile, the third-to-last Tennant special (Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars) will air on BBC America on December 19th, making it possible that the digital cabler will air all three Doctor Who specials within a two week period. (Fingers crossed, anyway.)
The full press release from BBC America as well as a three-minute world premiere clip from Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One can be found below.
-Exclusive sneak peeks now available at BBCAmerica.com/DoctorWho-
The finale to the era of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, is one of the most eagerly anticipated adventures in the history of Doctor Who. As previously announced, the next special, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars premieres Saturday December 19, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA. The final two specials, Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One and Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part Two, will premiere over the holiday season starting December 26 on BBC AMERICA. Guest stars John Simm, Timothy Dalton, Catherine Tate, Lindsay Duncan and Bernard Cribbins join Tennant on his final journey. Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One premieres Saturday December 26, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA. The End of Time, Part Two premiere date will be announced very soon.
BBCAmerica.com/DoctorWho has exclusive Doctor Who clips including a sneak peek to The Waters of Mars, which The Times says is “a big-budget, knock-yer-socks-off blockbuster” and the Guardian exclaimed “it's a belter, a watery nightmare - scary, moving, relevant, believable.”
The site also has a new world premiere clip from The End of Time, Part One, with never-before seen footage that will keep fans all over the globe wondering what's in store for the Doctor.
This slick re-imagination of Doctor Who, created by Russell T Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk), puts a fresh spin on the adventures of the iconic Time Lord and his feisty companions - who travel across the universe to protect Earth from dangerous aliens and terrifying monsters. Davies and Tennant are passing the baton to Steven Moffat and actor Matt Smith, who will play the Eleventh Doctor in a new season of the re-imagined series premiering in 2010 on BBC AMERICA.
The BBC will release The Waters of Mars and The End of Time, Part One and Part Two on DVD and Blu-ray, Tuesday, February 2, 2010. A 5-disc set, Doctor Who: Specials Collection, which includes The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, Waters of Mars, The End of Time, Part One and Part Two and a 16-page booklet with an introduction written by David Tennant, hits stores the same day.
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One will air on BBC America on December 26th at 9 pm ET/PT. Continue reading full story...
Channel Surfing: Taylor Kitsch May Miss "Friday Night Lights," Oprah's Harpo Films Lands HBO Pilot, Production Shut Down on "Cougar Town," and More
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
Bad news for Tim Riggins fans. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims has confirmed that Taylor Kitsch will "will miss part" of the production of Season Five of Friday Night Lights, due to his role in Disney's feature film adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's "John Carter of Mars." But there's still hope that they can work around Kitsch's schedule. "We are communicating with the [John Carter] production to work out the schedule so that Taylor can be in as much of season 5 as possible," said Katims. Production begins on the fifth season in March. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
HBO has given a pilot order to Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films for an untitled drama about a woman who walks out on her perfect marriage and children in order to fulfill her secret fantasies in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. Pilot will be written/executive produced by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary) and will be executive produced by Winfrey and Kate Forte. "It is unsentimental and pretty shocking, and there is something complicated and destructive driving her," Forte told Variety. "It is literally a day at the pool, where she gets up, in sarong and flip-flops, and walks out of her life, leaving everyone behind so abruptly that her husband and kids initially think she's been kidnapped or murdered." (Variety)
The Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that production has been shut down on ABC comedy Cougar Town in order to allow Courteney Cox "to deal with a private family matter," according to ABC. There's been no indication as of yet when shooting will resume on the series, which had been scheduled to go on hiatus this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Hollywood Reporter)
Fringe's executive producers have indicated that the FOX sci-fi series could go on for as many as six seasons. "If we're lucky enough, we have six seasons that we're really excited about," said Jeff Pinkner during a recent press call. "It's such a great show to work on, because we're only limited by our own imaginations. Once you start to get into this wonderful framework of the characters and stuff, it's so much fun. We're constantly saying, 'Oh, what about this?' and then all of a sudden, we're like, 'Well, that will be a season three thing, yeah'." (via Digital Spy)
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Brian Austin Green will reprise his role as John "Metallo" Corben on the CW's Smallville this season. He's slated to appear in the series' 18th episode, which will air in the spring. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Joshua Jackson (Fringe) is set to star in a feature film remake of 1970s cult British television series UFO, that is slated to be directed by Matthew Gratzner. Jackson will play Paul Foster, "a test pilot who joins S.H.A.D.O. (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization), a covert org built under a Hollywood studio that defends Earth against a race of aliens who have been abducting humans and using the body parts." (Variety)
TVGuide.com's Joyce Eng catches up with Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg to talk about tonight's episode of the CBS comedy, which features an appearance by former Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff (soon to be seen in FOX's 24), who stops by as Howard Wolowitz's conscience. "There's definitely a possibility that she could continue to be his conscience," said Helberg of Sackhoff. "I don't know how much they plan for, say, the entire arc of the season. Who knows? Maybe next time they'll be in a Jacuzzi, maybe even the shower. I don't know if I have to be wet and naked. Maybe he always has to be in a compromising position. It is his fantasy!" (TVGuide.com)
TLC has ordered eight episodes of culinary series Craving Comfort, in which chef Art Smith will "travel the country exploring variations of simple, popular dishes -- from fried chicken to apple pie." Series, from True Entertainment, is slated to air next year. (Hollywood Reporter)
Elsewhere at TLC, the cabler has given a series order for docusoap Mall Cops: Mall of America, which will air in first quarter 2010 and follow the mall cops at the largest mall in the US, and ordered four episodes of docuseries Ghost Intervention, about "a group of women with psychic abilities who help families dealing with paranormal activity in their homes." The latter series, from Pilgrim Films and Television, will launch on December 12th. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
Oh, Fringe, I've missed you.
Last night's episode of Fringe ("August"), written by J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner and directed by Brad Anderson, was to me the absolute ideal installment of the sci-fi procedural series. Despite being a close-ended plot about the disappearance of a young woman, it provided answers to some of Fringe's most enduring mysteries so far and broadened out the mythology of the series and the character's inner lives to boot.
Plus, the series was firing on all cylinders, using each of its characters to their best effect: placing Olivia and Peter in the field in pursuit of the suspect, Walter and Astrid in the lab, and Broyles in an advisory capacity (and good to see they realized he'd still be injured after last week's events; nice continuity!).
So what did I think about the episode? Let's discuss.
As I mentioned earlier, I was head over heels in love with this week's installment, which showed that the series, which had struggled in its first season to find a working balance between the serialized and the procedural, can make the format work for them and not against them. While the plot was nominally about the kidnapping of an art student by the mysterious Observer, it quickly became a story about the choices we make, the bonds we have, and the emotional core of our beings, whether we're a determined FBI agent, a grieving father, or an otherworldly creature.
Playing of a comment made earlier in the series about there being "more than one of everything," the series introduces a novel conceit: there's more than one of the Observer. (We also previously saw a child-like version of one them living underground.) While The Observer has been traditionally played in the series by Michael Cerveris, this episode reveals that there would appear to be at least a coven of them in Boston alone. Like Marvel's omnipresent (and follicularly challenged) Uatu The Watcher, these Observers are instructed (by whom? for what purpose?) to keep a watch over events and never interfere; as a result, they exist outside of time, unfettered by constructs about the past, present, and future that we take for granted.
That directive to observe and not to interfere has been broken before and is broken again with this episode. The Observer known only as August (veteran British actor Peter Woodward) kidnaps a Christine Hollis (Jennifer Missoni) but not everything is as it appears: he doesn't want to kill her but is trying to save her. His effort means that Christine doesn't board a plan bound for Rome, a plane that goes down in the ocean, killing everyone aboard. So why does he save her? That's where things get really interesting.
August's actions put him in direct conflict with the other Observers, who know that Christine was marked for death. Given August's involvement has created an anomaly in the timeline, they move swiftly to "correct" it, drawing in grizzled assassin Donald Long (Paul Rae) to eliminate Christine and push events back into place. (Loved that Donald carries a portable dot matrix printer with him; nice touch.)
But August knows that the Observers have gotten involved before: our Observer moved to save Peter and Walter Bishop when their car went off the road into the frozen lake. But the coven admits that this was only to correct a mistake that they had made. So just what was that mistake? Allowing Walter to take Peter from "over there"? Or was there something else that made both of them "important" enough to intervene and keep them alive? Just what happened on that road? And what mistake did the Observers make that forced them to push the timeline back into place? Hmmm....
So it's not surprising then that August would leave a series of clues for Walter Bishop to find, clues that propel him to rendezvous with August, who asks Walter for his help. Knowing that the Observers will kill Christine, he needs to make her "important" so that they will spare her life. Finding loopholes is Walter's specialty after all; he wasn't limited by the confines of physics when he, grief-stricken, made the decision to steal someone else's child, a choice that haunts him to this day. (It's why he believes the Observer wants to see him, so terrified is he of losing Peter.)
And August does make a noble sacrifice in order to preserve Christine's life, after he twice crosses paths with her, the first time after the Oakland earthquake that kills Christine's parents. In the moments after the quake, the young Christine leaves an indelible mark on August's soul and he keeps her childhood teddy bear safe for her until he can return it. He makes a trade: his life for hers. Olivia and Peter are unable to stop Donald Long from shooting August (or rather he allows it to happen this time) and August knows that his death will secure Christine's life.
As he bleeds to death in the car, August tells his fellow Observer that the reason he wanted to save Christine was that he was in love with her. It's a nice twist as the Observers are meant to be inherently emotionless, detached from humanity, unable to process feelings and having no need for them. But love awakened something in August, a need to protect the thing he felt for, no matter what the consequence. In allowing himself to die, he made Christine "important." As the other Observer says (almost sadly), Christine was responsible for the death of one of them. She is and will forever be important.
There are always consequences. Walter advises August of that in the diner and he knows inherently that it's true. Even if you don't pay the price now, the cost of your actions will always catch up to you in the end. The sadness with which Walter touches Peter's face on the staircase at the end speak volumes about the fear with which Walter lives. He knows that Peter will get his answers, will find out the truth about who he really is, and the thought of losing his son for a second time terrifies him to no end.
Those answers are coming. Broyles believes that Peter was able to fire the last charge in the Observer's otherworldly gun but that's not the case; Peter was able to use it because he is from "over there," a fact that August is all too aware of when he hands him his weapon. It's only a matter of time before Peter learns the truth of where he came from and the lengths to which Walter went to reclaim his son from death itself.
Olivia, for her part, does get her day off with Ella at the amusement park and she challenges herself to overcome her fears and ride the rollercoaster with her niece. It's a moment of lightness and innocence, the last rays of sunshine before the darkness falls. They are observed. Two of the Observers watch Olivia without a hint of emotion. Things are going to get bad for Olivia Dunham; they already see this and these moments of levity and joy may be the last she experiences.
I'm intrigued with just where this plot is going. We know that Walter, Peter, and Olivia are key players in the coming war and that the Observers are there to watch as these events unfold. Just what parts they'll play as the battle begins remains to be seen. But things are definitely going to get very bleak for our Fringe Division stalwarts and I can't wait to see just where Fringe's writers take the plot next. I'm along for the ride, no matter what twist lies ahead.
In two weeks on Fringe ("Snakehead"), the Fringe team investigates incidents involving bodies with unnatural creatures attached to it; Olivia, Peter and Broyles discover that the case is linked to a dangerous organization involved in drug smuggling.
Channel Surfing: "Lost" Returns in February, "Chuck" Kicks off in January, NBC Orders more "Trauma," and More
Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.
ABC yesterday announced the premiere date for the sixth and final season of Lost, which will return to the lineup on Tuesday, February 2nd with a two-hour premiere (preceded by a one-hour clip show) before setting into its new timeslot of Tuesdays at 9 pm ET/PT the following week. (Televisionary)
Lest they be outdone, NBC yesterday announced the premiere date for Season Three of the much-missed action comedy Chuck, which will kick off its third season with a three-hour two-night event on Sunday, January 10th. The following night, Chuck moves into its regular timeslot of Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT. Sadly, Julia Ling's Anna won't be back for Season Three, a fact that Warner Bros. Television confirmed to me yesterday afternoon. (Televisionary)
NBC has unexpected ordered three additional episodes of struggling freshman drama Trauma. After the holiday hiatus, that will leave the Peacock with six unaired episodes of Trauma. No announcement has been made about just where or when NBC will slot these installments. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin, Deadline Hollywood Daily)
Oprah Winfrey will announce that the end of the daily syndicated talk show will arrive on September 9th, 2011 following the end of the series' 25th season. But it's not the end of Oprah, as Winfrey will move the talk show to the cabler OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, which she owns with Discovery Communications. (Hollywood Reporter)
Don't hold your breath waiting for the next Aaron Sorkin series. Following a report by TV Guide Magazine that the West Wing creator was working on developing a series set behind the scenes of (yet another) television series. Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider instead says those statements were rather premature. Or as Sorkin's rep put it bluntly, "There is nothing to discuss at this point." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)
Garth Ancier will step down from his position as president of BBC Worldwide America in March after serving in the role for three years. Ancier, who made the decision voluntarily, will stay on at the company as a "nonexecutive director" as well as hold onto his seat on the board of BBC Worldwide America. No word on his replacement as of yet though possible contenders include Jane Tranter. "We have achieved a great deal over the past three years, but now feels the right time to transition to a new role where I can really help BBC Worldwide shape its strategy," said Ancier. (Hollywood Reporter)
Sam Hennings (Cold Case), Robyn Lively (Saving Grace), and Leonard Earl Howze (Barbershop) will star opposite Jason Lee in TNT's drama pilot Delta Blues, from executive producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov and Warner Horizon. (Hollywood Reporter)
VH1 has ordered a second season of reality competition series Scream Queens, from Lionsgate Television. The winner of the second season, set to air in 2010, will land a role in the studio's next Saw film. (Variety)
Sam Shepard (Brothers) has been cast in Epix Nashville drama pilot Tough Trade, from Lionsgate Television and executive producer/showrunner Jenji Kohan (Weeds) and creator Chris Offutt. Shepard will play the patriarch of a Nashville music family "whose penchant for drink, debauchery and divorce has left them morally corrupt and on the verge of bankruptcy." (Hollywood Reporter)
UK viewers will have the opportunity to watch freshman drama Trauma and another chance to catch Syfy's Warehouse 13 (it aired in its first window on Sci-Fi UK), following a deal between NBC Universal International Television and satellite channel Virgin1. Both will launch next year. (Broadcast)
Circle of Confusion has signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Production/management company already has several projects in development, including an adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis' Powers at FX (with Sony Pictures Television attached), The Descendants at FOX from writer Ed Brubaker, which is described a "new twist on a cop show," and Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead at AMC. (Variety)
Alicia Witt, Markie Post, and Frances Fisher have been cast in Hallmark Channel telepic Backyard Wedding. Pic is written by Nina Weinman and will be directed by Bradford May. (Hollywood Reporter)
MTV has hired E! executive Steve Tseckares as SVP of special programming and production and former HGTV executive James Bolosh as VP of series development, reporting to Liz Gateley. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
You've been demanding it.
Yes, true believers, Season Three of Chuck finally has a start date.
NBC today announced that Chuck will return on Sunday, January 10th at 9 pm ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes (comprising an awesome two hour season premiere).
But that's not all. Chuck will then be back the following night (January 11th) with a brand-new episode in its regular timeslot of Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT. (Whew. I was worried NBC would move Chuck to a new timeslot altogether.) Which means, a three-hour, two-night spectacular of Chuck goodness.
Guest stars on tap for the third season of Chuck include Angie Harmon, Brandon Routh, Steve Austin, Kristin Kreuk, Armand Assante, Robert Patrick, and Vinnie Jones.
"Josh (Schwartz) and Chris (Fedak) and the writing team are doing a great job this season, and we think the loyal fan base for this show will be happy to see it back on the NBC schedule," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios, in a statement.
Happy now, Chuck fans?
The full press release from NBC, announcing the Chuck scheduling, can be found below.
'CHUCK' RETURNS TO NBC ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 WITH ALL-NEW MISSIONS AND ACTION-PACKED BACK-TO-BACK PREMIERE EPISODES BEFORE MOVING TO REGULAR DAY AND TIME (MONDAYS, 8-9 P.M. ET) BEGINNING JANUARY 11
'CHUCK' GUEST STARS INCLUDE ANGIE HARMON, BRANDON ROUTH, ROBERT PATRICK, KRISTIN KREUK, ARMAND ASSANTE, STEVE AUSTIN AND VINNIE JONES
In Addition, Special Two-hour Episode of "Heroes" to Be Broadcast on Monday, January 4 (8-10 p.m. ET) Before Series Moves to Its New Time Slot of Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) Starting January 11
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – November 19, 2009 – NBC's action-comedy series "Chuck" returns to the NBC lineup on Sunday, January 10 with all-new missions and two action-packed, back-to-back original episodes in its season premiere (9-11 p.m. ET) before the series -- starring Zachary Levi in the title role -- moves to its regular day and time (Mondays 8-9 p.m. ET) beginning January 11.
In addition, "Chuck" returns with guest stars galore in its third season. These include: Angie Harmon (NBC's "Law & Order"), who will play Sydney, an enemy operative; Brandon Routh ("Superman Returns"), who is set to play CIA Agent Daniel Shaw; Robert Patrick ("Terminator 2: Judgment Day") will play Colonel Keller, a soldier and spy from Casey's past; Kristin Kreuk ("Smallville"), who will portray Hannah -- a potential love interest for Chuck; Armand Assante ("Judge Dredd") as dictator Premier Goya, who is the target of an assassin; Steve Austin ("WWE Smackdown!") will portray Hugo Panzer, who becomes entangled in Chuck's first solo mission; and Vinnie Jones ("Snatch") will play Carl Stromberg, an arms dealer.
In other programming news, a special two-hour episode of "Heroes" will be broadcast on Monday, January 4 (8-10 p.m. ET) and then the series moves to its new time slot of Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) starting January 11.
"Josh (Schwartz) and Chris (Fedak) and the writing team are doing a great job this season, and we think the loyal fan base for this show will be happy to see it back on the NBC schedule," said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
In "Chuck," the world's nerdiest secret agent is back in the one-hour action-comedy series. Chuck Bartowski (Levi, "Less Than Perfect") continues as the Buy More electronics store computer geek, who unwittingly becomes the government's most vital secret agent. Chuck is transformed into the Intersect 2.0 after another data download into his brain. This time, he not only knows government secrets, but he is also well equipped with deadly fight skills. Chuck has the potential to become a real agent, but he has one problem -- his emotions. Now he faces the battle of keeping his emotions in check in order to protect himself and the people around him.
The ever stoic Colonel John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") returns with partner Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski, "Gone"), one of the CIA's top agents and Chuck's dream girl. As Chuck assumes his new role as the Intersect 2.0, Casey and Sarah need to protect him but also help him become the agent he is destined to be.
Also starring are: Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Morgan Grimes -- Chuck's best buddy; Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie; Ryan McPartlin ("Living with Fran") as Devon Woodcomb (also known as "Captain Awesome"), Ellie's husband. Chuck's Buy More team consists of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence, "The Pursuit of Happyness") and the Nerd Herd, which includes Lester (Vik Sahay, "Time Bomb") and Jeff (Scott Krinsky, "The O.C.").
Fans of "Chuck" can catch up on full episodes from the series' recent second season, watch original web series and share with fans on the official "Chuck" website on NBC.com.
"Chuck" is co-created and written by Josh Schwartz ("The O.C., "Gossip Girl") and Chris Fedak, and is executive-produced by Schwartz, McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall"), Fedak, Allison Adler and Matthew Miller. "Chuck" is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Continue reading full story...
The final season of Lost finally as a start date.
ABC will launch the sixth (and sadly last) season of Lost on Tuesday, February 2nd at 9 pm ET/PT. in a two-hour season premiere following a one-hour clip show at 8 pm that will get viewers up to speed on the the last five seasons.
Following the premiere, the series will move into its regular timeslot of Tuesdays at 9 pm ET/PT.
Are you happy with the new timeslot? Glad that there will be something to watch on Tuesday nights at 9 pm in the winter? Talk back.
The full press release from ABC, announcing the scheduling of Lost's final season, can be found below.
WITH A SPECIAL ALL-NIGHT EVENT ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
ABC announces the premiere of the sixth and final season of “Lost,” with a special all-night event on Tuesday, February 2. A recap special will kick off the night from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET, followed by the much anticipated two-hour premiere from 9:00-11:00 p.m.
The series will then air in its regular time period – Tuesday nights from 9:00-10:00 p.m., ET – beginning the following week, on February 9.
“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O’Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.
“Lost” was created by Jeffrey Lieber and J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof. Abrams, Lindelof, Bryan Burk, Jack Bender, Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Jean Higgins and Carlton Cuse serve as executive producers. “Lost,” which is filmed entirely on location in Hawaii and premiered on September 22, 2004, is from ABC Studios. Continue reading full story...
"Welcome back."
No truer words were ever spoken than on this week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Culinary Olympics") in which the five remaining chefs faced their toughest challenge--a scaled down mini-version of the famed Bocuse d'Or--before getting cut down to the four chefs who would travel from Las Vegas to Napa for the season finale.
To say that anything was possible is a gross understatement. It literally came down to the wire as the judges decided which of the five was the most relatively weak. To make it this far is no small feat in and of itself, especially given the caliber of chefs this season (overall, anyway) and it was clear that the judges had quite a lot of affection for each of the remaining competitors.
Likewise, this week's installment was also a reminder of just how innately talented each of the remaining chefs is. I can't think of another season where all five remaining chefs were at the same level of skill as they are here. I don't think that the producers would have given them a Bocuse d'Or-like challenge if they didn't think the contestants were up to the challenge.
So how did they perform? Let's discuss.
I'm not quite sure just what went wrong with Jennifer over the course of this competition but it was clear that something was distracting her from focusing on the individual challenges. Whether that was a time issue (she herself indicated last night that she's not quite as swift as the other remaining competitors) or just sheer and utter exhaustion from being put through a physical, mental, and emotional ringer, we'll likely never know.
So when Padma told Jennifer, "welcome back," and did so with a genuine smile, it was a joyful return of the Jennifer Carroll from the early days of the season. I think the taste of Jennifer's seafood ballotine pleasantly surprised Padma in the same way that it did those of us watching at home: it announced that a confident and level-headed Jennifer had returned to Top Chef and that the slips of the past few weeks had been uncharacteristic and wouldn't happen again. In other words: whew.
For their Quickfire Challenge, the chefs were tasked with creating a ballotine, a complicated preparation which essentially means layering a deboned protein inside of protein... inside of protein. (The apex of such a preparation might be the vaunted turducken, in which turkey is stuffed with a duck, which is itself stuffed with a chicken.) But with only ninety minutes, none of these chefs would be insane enough to attempt something as complex as that with the limited time they had.
Here's what they prepared:
- Bryan: rack of lamb and Merguez sausage wrapped in caul fat with a medley of purees
- Eli: bacon-crusted Scotch egg with a six-minute egg center
- Jennifer: calamari steak, scallops, salmon, shiitake, and shiso with rice noodle salad
- Kevin: cornmeal-fried fillet of catfish with scallop and shrimp
- Michael: "poultry terrine" of chicken with turkey and bacon mousseline
Michael complained that they were never told to actually create a ballotine, but somehow the other four chefs seemed to understand the directions of the Quickfire and delivered dishes that met the brief. Michael did not; his dish was essentially exactly as he described it, a poultry terrine. Which looked beautiful and likely tasted sinfully good but it wasn't what the judges asked for. Bryan's dish looked good but I think he overdid it with the amount of purees on the plate; sometimes less is more and more is just... more.
Eli's Scotch egg looked incredible and he managed to get that six-minute egg just right; he's stuck to his guns this season and produced food that's true to himself and his down-home culinary ethos. I'm glad that he hasn't thrown that out the window to suddenly start cooking in a classical French style or something. The same holds true for Kevin. While his catfish was deemed overcooked, he wasn't defeated or deflated by the criticism and maintained that it was a matter of personal taste.
But it was Jennifer's elegant and refined seafood ballotine that won over the judges, and rightfully so. Due to the use of the calamari, unless it was perfectly cooked, it could have been a rubbery mess of a dish but Jennifer executed it perfectly and walked way with a sizable advantage in the elimination challenge, earning herself an extra half-hour of cooking time.
As for the Elimination challenge itself, I was glad to see that the producers weren't letting the final five contestants rest on their laurels, instead forcing them to compete in a pared-down version of the grueling Bocuse d'Or competition. They'd have to prepare a dish of protein paired with two exceptional accompaniments, all of which would have be served up tableside after being transported to the judges--who included The French Laundry's Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Paul Bocuse, and others--on traditional mirrored platters. And, oh, the winner would get $30,000 and an amazing opportunity, to boot.
I have to say that I was impressed overall with the concept of the dishes overall, even if the execution of the majority of them was found wanting. Granted, this was a difficult challenge of the highest order and there were a lot of moving parts to get under control and the stress of cooking for some extremely respected chefs would have added an additional layer of pressure to the proceedings as well.
So what did the individual chefs offer up? Let's take a look.
- Bryan: parsley-crusted lamb loin, lamb shank crepinette with garlic chip, and orzo au gratin with sheep's milk cheese
- Eli: sausage-wrapped lamb loin, carrot puree with ras-el-hanout and yogurt foam, and tomato-piquillo canape
- Jennifer: unilaterally-cooked salmon and caviar, shrimp flan and black truffles, celery root square and shiitake
- Kevin: poached lamb loin, sherry-glazed beet and asparagus in sunchoke cream, red chard
- Michael: salmon with cauliflower chickpea tart and zucchini tzatziki
I was a little confused by the judge's reaction to Bryan's dish. At first, they seemed very pleased with the thought and concept behind the dish, even though some of the execution was a little shaky but they seemed to appreciate some of the technical skill he showed with the garnishes (such as that garlic chip). But later at judges' table, they suddenly seemed to be of the mind that the dish wasn't good after all. Huh? What happened in between there? I think he could have gone a little more high-end than the orzo au gratin, which was his play on mac and cheese, but I thought the crepinette looked beautiful and the dish showed cohesion and thought behind it. Bizarre.
Eli's dish, I knew, would land him at the bottom. He did a terrible job of carving that lamb tableside and the fact that he left way too much fat in the loin made it unappetizing and difficult to eat. Which is a shame as his accompaniments looked fantastic. That yogurt cream alone, with the ras-el-hanout-spiced carrot puree was one of the better accompaniments of the night. But I had a feeling that he would be the one to pack his knives and go.
Jennifer, despite having an extra half-hour, still could have done with some more time in this challenge. Her salmon wasn't very evenly portioned, so some pieces ended up being cooked perfectly, while others were overcooked. And her shrimp flan suffered from the same problem: some of the portions were executed perfectly while others weren't, resulting in quality inconsistencies from judge to judge. I do think that her platter was the best looking of the evening and she turned out a gorgeous looking plate. It was just the details that she needed to pay a little more attention to.
Kevin's dish was simple but that was the point: he let the flavors and the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves. I don't think he played it safe at all, as Gail suggested. He decided to sous-vide the lamb loins, which was something he had never done before and he managed to coax a hell of a lot of flavor out of that red chard. Kevin's always been about the ingredients and a rustic simplicity but that's hard to pull off, much less under intense pressure.
As for Michael, I'm not sure what went wrong here. Perhaps it was arrogance or overconfidence. But he delivered one of the most underwhelming dishes of the evening. Sure, it was executed well overall but that cucumber and tzatziki accompaniment was an underseasoned mess and the entire dish lacked any cohesion, despite his efforts to somehow link them with a Mediterranean theme, which sort of fell apart once you looked at the individual elements on the plate. An odd performance, to say the least, as this was really his challenge to lose, given his style of cooking and his technical abilities.
But ultimately, it was Kevin who was crowned the winner of this challenge and earned himself $30,000 along with the chance to compete with the US Bocuse d'Or team, which is a rare honor in itself. And I wasn't surprised when the judges opted to send Eli home. I will admit, however, that I got a little teary-eyed watching Eli cry and say goodbye to his fellow competitors.
Only four chefs remain going into the first part of the season finale. Happy with the Final Four we long ago predicted would ascend to the final rounds? Which chef will emerge victorious? Who will be the next fall before the last challenge? Discuss.
In two weeks on Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Season Finale, Part One"), the contestants leave Las Vegas behind to travel to Napa, where they will complete in challenges (including one aboard the Napa Wine Train) that will winnow them down from four to three before the final competition. Continue reading full story...
