Wondering why I didn't compile a best of the decade list on Televisionary? Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can find my latest feature, "23 Shows That Changed Television," which looks at the cultural impact (both good and ill) of 23 series that launched this decade.
Those influential series include American Idol, Lost, Survivor, The Wire, Mad Men, Weeds, Big Love, Arrested Development, The Osbournes, True Blood, Laguna Beach, Family Guy and Battlestar Galactica.
And if you're wondering why some of your favorites got left off, it's because each of the series had to have premiered after January 1st, 2000 in order to be included in the list. Which negated the inclusion of such influential series from the late 1990s, such as The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The West Wing, and South Park, to name a few.
Head over to the comments section to share your thoughts on the list and your picks for the most influential series of the decade.
While the holidays might be over now, there's at least something to look forward to with the return of several television series over the next few weeks. Not to mention the much anticipated arrival of Season Three of NBC's Chuck (my advance review of which can be read here).
I had the opportunity to visit the set of Chuck back in the fall, when the start of Season Three seemed uncertain (remember when we weren't going to get any Chuck until March?), and had the chance to sit down with the cast for a series of video interviews. (You can view my interview with Yvonne Strahovski here.)
Given that the holidays have just wrapped, I'm giving Chuck fans a little extra treat this year in the form of a condensed nine-minute video interview I did with Mr. Chuck Bartowski himself, Zachary Levi.
Watch as I sit down with Zachary Levi on the series' courtyard set to talk about what's coming up on Season Three of Chuck, the eleventh hour renewal, Chuck's relationship with Sarah, the new Intersect 2.0, the birth of a superhero, and more.
Season Three of Chuck launches January 10th at 9 pm ET/PT with a two-hour premiere before moving to its regular timeslot Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT on January 11th. Continue reading full story...
The Sainted Physician: The Doctor Faces His Greatest Threat on "Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One)"
Time itself has caught up with the Doctor.
The latest Doctor Who Christmas special, Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One), found the Doctor attempting to fight his fated death... or at least the prophesied end of this incarnation of the solitary Time Lord.
But it's not just the prophecy of the end of the Doctor's song ("he will knock four times") that provides the focus of this, the penultimate Doctor Who episode starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. It was an installment that featured the return of several familiar faces, including John Simm's The Master (reborn in a matter of speaking), Bernard Cribbins' Wilfred, and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble. Along with the alien Ood, who telepathically tap into a global nightmare pattern involving the Master and alert the Doctor to impending doom in the form of the titular end of time.
Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Euros Lyn, Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One) finds the Doctor in the midst of an existential crisis. Still reeling from the disastrous choice he made in Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, the Doctor finds himself at his lowest point, unaccompanied and alone, and must face his mortal enemy... as well as the possible end of his adopted people, the human race.
The scene between the Doctor and Wilf (Cribbins) in the cafe--an exercise arranged by Wilf so that the Doctor would see Donna and hopefully cure her--was absolutely heartbreaking, as the Doctor tearfully confronted his fallibility and his mortality. It was a scene masterfully played by Tennant, who not only embodied the Doctor's own fears but also our own sadness at the inevitable end of this incarnation. Has he made the right choices? The wrong ones? Is he to blame for what's about to happen? Is his eternal loneliness penance for the mistakes he's made, the friends he's lost? For the fire and the floods? The ice and the destruction?
But the Doctor isn't quite alone: he has a companion of sorts in Wilf, the grandfather of his former traveling companion Donna Noble (Tate). The Doctor and Wilf are united by a bond of deception--both, after all, conspired to lie to Donna in order to save her life, erasing all traces of the Doctor from her memory--and by something else, something that keeps them crossing paths. The Doctor refers to Wilf as existing "at the heart of coincidence," but there are signs that someone--or something--is deliberately pulling their strings.
After all, we still don't know the identity of the mystery woman (Claire Bloom) whom Wilf meets in that church, the one that depicts the "blue box" of the "sainted physician" in its stained glass window. She's the same woman who appears on his television set during the Queen's speech and who urges him to help the Doctor, saying that he can still be saved if Wilf bears arms once more and doesn't reveal the contents of this message to the Doctor himself. But is this mystery woman helping or hindering their cause? And just who is she really?
Her presence in the story is one of many mysteries in Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One), which sets up a final confrontation between the Doctor and his nemesis, the mad Time Lord known as The Master, seemingly resurrected from death with some newfound powers... and a new blonde hairdo.
It's that hairstyle that's odd, really. I can't help but wonder where the blonde hair came from and if it has anything to do with the presence of Lucy Saxon (Alexandra Moen) at the Master's rebirth. Lucy is after all blonde... and we don't know just what she threw at the Master's visage during the resurrection process, an action that resulted in the death of several willing sacrificial victims (all loyal to Harold Saxon's anarchist cause). But where did Lucy go? Has she somehow fused with The Master himself? And just what are the source of his strange powers, which seemingly grant him the ability to absorb human life, fire electrical blasts, and soar into the sky?
Personally, I think the Master is terrifying enough without the additional abilities, which lend his character an air of over-the-top comic book supervillainy. The intimacy of the sequence where the Doctor forms a telepathic link with the Master and shockingly learns that the drum beats aren't in fact part of the Master's madness but something else, something real, was electric enough without having the former prime minister blasting away at his foe with blue electricity. Tennant and Simm are both fantastically dynamic actors and the scenes where the two face off with chess-like precision have more subtle power within them.
As Davies told me a few months back, it wasn't Lucy who reached into the Master's funereal pyre and pulled out his signet ring, but the new governor of the prison where Lucy Saxon is being held. The member of a secret cabal of Saxon loyalists, she uses the ring along with Lucy's biometric imprint to bring the Master back to life, at the cost of her own.
And there's another organization that wants The Master for themselves, a group overseen by father and daughter futurists Joshua Naismith (David Harewood) and
Abigail Naismith (Tracy Ifeachor) that has unwittingly constructed an Immortality Gate. Joshua intends to use the Gate to give his daughter neverending life but it's a gift that's twisted by the Master for his own insane purposes: the creation of a Master race, the rewriting of the human genetic code to create a literal race of Master clones.
Yet hope remains. Not everyone is affected by the genetic wave: both Wilf (ensconced in nuclear shielding nearby the Gate) and Donna (saved thanks to the metacrisis at the end of Season Four) remain themselves. But Donna's salvation triggers a flood of memories, which threaten to burn her up from the inside. We're left not knowing whether Donna will live or die (I'm leaning towards the former) but I have a feeling that the Master's final trick has unexpectedly saved her life and her memories.
But the true threat to the universe doesn't come from the Master's, er, masterstroke of villainy. Instead, it's the end of Time, a threat manifested in the return of the Time Lords themselves, numbering in the thousands. Just how have they survived the Time War? Where are they and Gallifrey? And why does the Lord President of the Time Lords (Timothy Dalton), who serves as the installment's narrator, seem so hell-bent on conflict? And are the drums the Master has heard his whole life the drums of a Gallifreyan war? We'll have to wait until the end of the week to find out.
All in all, Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One) offered a fantastic prelude to David Tennant and Russell T. Davies' final act ahead. The penultimate Doctor Who special brought up some of Doctor Who's enduring subplots and set up a monumental showdown involving the Master and Time itself, as well as some of the revival series' narrative foundations themselves (given the destruction of Gallifrey and the Doctor's status as the last Time Lord).
Just how Time will be put to right again remains to be seen, but I am nervous about Wilf's wartime pistol, the mystery woman's warnings, and the deathly prophecy itself. Not to mention that this weekend's conclusion to Doctor Who: The End of Time will signal the end for the Tenth Doctor himself. Lives will be lost, sacrifices made, and the laws of the universe itself ripped apart... and I am sure I'll be moved to tears by the death of the Tenth Doctor and his regeneration.
This is one man, after all, who won't be going gently into that good night. Not without a fight, anyway.
Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part Two) airs Saturday evening at 8:30 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
Say Goodbye to the Tenth Doctor Starting with Tonight's "Doctor Who: The End of Time (Part One)" on BBC America
The inevitable and the inescapable have arrived.
Tonight's Doctor Who Christmas special, Doctor Who: The End of Time (which airs at 9 pm ET/PT), signals the end of the Tenth Doctor's run on the sci-fi series... and that of series lead David Tennant, who will leave the series following next week's concluding installment.
I've remained (and intend to remain) spoiler-free leading up to tonight's broadcast of Doctor Who: The End of Time, which aired last night in the United Kingdom. I'm steeling myself to be utterly heartbroken after tonight's installment, which features the return of John Simm's malevolent Master and several familiar faces, including Bernard Cribbins' Wilf and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble.
But I can't help but think back to when I first heard that Christopher Eccleston was departing Doctor Who and would be replaced by the relatively-unheard-of David Tennant, whom I recalled slightly from his turn as the titular character in Casanova.
At the time, I was deeply saddened that Eccleston was leaving Doctor Who and would be replaced by someone who seemed so completely different to him, one whose Doctor wouldn't be the same as the gruff, muscular, and stolid Doctor embodied by Eccleston. "Who," I asked my wife (then my girlfriend), in a unintentionally ironic question.
What a difference a few years make. Tennant--with his manic, madcap, and mischievous take on the Doctor--has become in my mind the definitive performance for the Time Lord and now he too is stepping aside as another relatively unknown actor, Matt Smith (Party Animals), replaces him after a roughly four-season run on the series.
Will Smith supplant Tennant in my esteem? Time will tell, though he has some mighty big shoes to fill. But as we settle in tonight to say goodbye the talented Mr. Tennant (and to executive producer Russell T. Davies, also departing), my thoughts won't be of the future of the series--of Matt Smith and new head writer Steven Moffat (both supremely skillful men in their own right)--but of the past. I'll be recalling Tennant's legendary run on the series, the off-kilter way he dove into every new adventure with equal parts glee and curiosity, the times his Doctor saved countless people and the times he failed, and of the actors who played his companions these past few years: Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, and Catherine Tate.
The Doctor and Doctor Who are bigger than any single actor, yet Tennant's performance, which captures both the innate strengths and flaws of the alien time-traveler, will remain a highlight of the decades-old drama. As we prepare to embark on one final trip in the TARDIS with the unnamed man from Gallifrey, I find myself both tearful and exhilarated to see just what will happen next.
The Doctor, I am sure, wouldn't have it any other way.
You can read my cocktails-laden interview with David Tenannt from a few months back here... and watch my video interviews with Doctor Who executive producer Russell T. Davies and director Euros Lyn here.
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One airs tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
As 2009 begins to wind down, I figured now was the perfect time as any to look back at the series that that have entertained and inspired me over the past calendar year.
And what a year it was for the television industry, which was (and is) still recovering from the writers strike of 2007/08. This past year also saw NBC box up the 10 pm hour for scripted programming, a move that hasn't had quite the effect that the network hoped (I do feel for poor scapegoat Jay Leno), while sending viewers scurrying over to cable, which continued to make huge inroads this year.
It was also a year that saw comedy make a huge comeback, from the success of FOX's musical-comedy hybrid Glee to the season's biggest critical hit, ABC's Modern Family and the surprising resilience of NBC's Parks and Recreation (hands down the winner of the Most Improved Series award). And a year that saw much beloved series Chuck teeter dangerously towards cancellation, only to receive an eleventh hour reprieve, thanks to fans, critics, and Subway.
So, what were the favorite series in the Televisionary household? Which left me wanting more... and which ones made me eager to change the channel? Find out below.
Best US Dramas:
Big Love (HBO)
The third season of HBO's compelling and addictive drama Big Love provided perhaps the single greatest season of any series this year. Gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, Big Love's third season upped the ante by having the family diversify into the casino business and a fourth wife, take a brutal road trip, and deal with barbarians pounding at the gates. Transforming itself into the grand Shakespearean epic we always knew it to be, the series went to some very dark places, revealing the tragic backstories of both Chloe Sevigny's Nicki and the long-dead Maggie Henrickson, killing off Mireille Enos' beloved Kathy Marquart, and having Jeanne Tripplehorn's Barb get ex-communicated from the Mormon church. Throw in the unexpected pregnancy of rebellious daughter Sarah (Amanda Seyfried), multiple murder attempts, the formation of a new church by Bill (Bill Paxton), a newly independent Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin), and a possible end to the Grant legacy in Juniper Creek and you have the makings of a groundbreaking drama. One that effortlessly fuses together soapy intrigue, social commentary, and family dynamics into one unforgettable and unique series that explores the Henrickson clan's unusual familial set-up and renders it not only normal but riveting. I tip my hat to you, Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer.
Mad Men (AMC)
Mad Men's gutting third season, which saw the collapse of the marriage between Don (Jon Hamm) and Betty (January Jones) and the destruction of ad agency Sterling Cooper, proved that there are no sacred cows in the universe of the 1960s period drama, created by Matthew Weiner. Following a season filled with change, presidential assassinations, fear and paranoia, Weiner exploded our expectations of serialized television by upending the twin foundations of the series, giving Don Draper a new beginning and pushing Mad Men's characters towards a new and uncertain future. With its emphasis on the unspoken subtext and the simmering desires lurking beneath the slickly styled facades of its men and women, Mad Men held onto its rightfully earned status as adult storyteller, relishing in exploring the complex emotions and bruised egos of life in the 1960s.
True Blood (HBO)
In its second season, HBO's vampire drama True Blood went from being a guilty pleasure to a series that balanced the outright campy with the truly transcendent. By pushing supporting players such as Alexander Skarsgard's Eric, Rutina Wesley's Tara, Sam Trammel's Sam, Nelsan Ellis' Lafayette, Deborah Ann Woll's Jessica, and Allan Hyde's Godric to the foreground, creator Alan Ball and the series' writers deepened the universe of Bon Temps and gave True Blood some of its most heartbreaking and compelling moments with the suicide of Eric's maker Godric and the doomed relationship between Woll's Jessica and Jim Parrack's Hoyt. There are few series that are as gleefully unpredictable than True Blood, a series that rewrites the rules about storytelling while spinning a bloody good yarn.
Lost (ABC)
The penultimate season of ABC's enigma-laden masterpiece Lost found the castaways split into two groups: one spinning through time before landing in the 1970s and joining up with the series' ubiquitous Dharma Initiative and the other, having escaped, attempting to return to the island. Deepening its mysteries and paying off several long-standing mysteries, Season Five filled in the backstory of the Dharma Initiative while serving up some paradoxical stories about the nature of time travel and free will and introducing two very intriguing diametrically opposed entities locked in an eternal battle. Characters died, sacrifices were made, and the chess pieces shifted around into new arrangements as showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse prepare for one final game.
Honorable Mentions: Battlestar Galactica (Syfy), Damages (FX), Fringe (FOX), No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (HBO)
Best US Comedies (Half-Hour Format):
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
In its sophomore season, NBC's Parks and Recreation has done the impossible: transformed itself into arguably the most hysterical comedy series on television right now. Stepping out of The Office's shadow, Parks and Recreation has found its footing as a deeply layered, character-driven comedy about small town bureaucracy and changed Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope from being a bumbling female Michael Scott replacement into a preternaturally optimistic do-gooder whose main flaw is that she cares too much. Brilliant, hilarious, and biting, Parks and Recreation might just be the best comedy you're not watching.
Modern Family (ABC)
With its pitch-perfect pilot episode, ABC's Modern Family single-handedly announced the return of the intelligent family comedy with its winning blend of realistically flawed characters, mockumentary format, and whip-smart writing. Not to mention the perfectly cast ensemble of actors who embody the series' extended Pritchett-Dunphy clan. Rarely is a series this self-assured straight out of the gate but subsequent episodes have proven just as strong as the series' initial outing. By using relatable situations and universal truths about families, creators Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd render the engaging characters of Modern Family in three dimensions, crafting a family that many of us want to spend the entire week with and not just Wednesday nights.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
FX's raunchy and raucous comedy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia continued its winning mix of gross-out humor, jaw-droppingly selfish behavior, and absurdly comic misadventures and I couldn't look away. By playing fast and loose with the format and allowing the owners of Paddy's Pub to remain so completely unlikable, the series remains a hallmark for finding comedy in the most unlikely of places. Who knew that running a bar in Philadelphia could prove to be quite so dangerous... or madness-inducing?
Party Down (Starz)
Likewise, Starz comedy Party Down rendered the mundane quality of the life of a cater-waiter to comic effect, transforming the overqualified crew of Party Down into poster children for slackerdom and reveling in a scripted looseness that felt almost improvised. With fly-on-the-wall precision, Party Down nailed the frustrations of twenty- and thirty-somethings in the name tag-wearing workplace and mixed up a batch of comedy and tragedy in equal measure.
Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
With grit and heart, Showtime's acerbic dark comedy Nurse Jackie brings us a modern-day heroine unafraid of being unlikable and yet succeeding at her job in spite of a drug addiction, extramarital affair, and various unethical and illegal behavior at in the workplace. If the bristly Jackie (the luminous Edie Falco) has a fault, it's that she cares too much for her patients and not enough for herself. If the bristly Jackie (the luminous Edie Falco) has a fault, it's that she cares too much for her patients and not enough for herself, killing herself slowly with drugs, cheating, and a host of lies. The show's biting wit and thought-provoking storylines--not to mention a fantastic cast in Falco, Merrit Wever, Eve Best, and Peter Facinelli, among others-- give us one of the most darkly compelling comedies on television, filled with burn victims, beating hearts, and one extraordinary nurse.
Honorable Mentions: Better Off Ted (ABC), Bored to Death (HBO), Community (NBC), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), Flight of the Conchords (HBO)
Best US Comedy (One-Hour Format):
Chuck (NBC)
As if there were any doubt that the fantastic and funny Chuck would make my list in some fashion. The action-comedy hybrid deepened in its second season, thanks to the winning chemistry of the series' talented leads (including Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin, Ryan McPartlin, Sarah Lancaster, Vik Sahay, Josh Gomez, Scott Krinsky, and Mark Christopher Lawrence), the perfect genre-smashing combination of action, adventure, romance, and workplace comedy, and a taut serialized element that had Chuck finding out the truth about his father and the Intersect, all while making the choice to fulfill his true potential... and his destiny. Building on the strengths of its too-short freshman outing, Season Two of Chuck charmed the pants off this writer (and kept me on the edge of my seat) and bucked the odds, winning Chuck a much deserved third season order.
Best Canceled Series:
The Unusuals (ABC)
While many series got the axe this year, the one that struck home the hardest was that for ABC's short-lived cop dramedy The Unusuals, from creator Noah Hawley. Revolving around a group of eccentric cops, The Unusuals found the detectives of the second precinct tackling some, er, unusual cases. The procedural mysteries were fun and offbeat and the chemistry between the series' sprawling ensemble cast top-notch. Though it only lasted less than a dozen episodes, each installment proved to be a little gem of witty banter, quirky mysteries, and off-kilter cops. It's much missed.
Best Reality Series:
Top Chef (Bravo)
Once again, the same three reality series pop up on my best of the year list and for good reason: they each proved that reality programming, when done right, can have the same stakes and drama as scripted television. No other series sates my culinary hunger like Bravo's formidable Top Chef, which had a season filled with some of the most talented chefs yet and a fiery sibling rivalry in Michael and Bryan Voltaggio. Compelling, hunger-inducing, and cutthroat, Top Chef takes our fascination with food to a whole new level, creating a series that rewards creativity and vision more than manipulation and controversy.
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Coming back with a strong season, CBS' The Amazing Race again sparked my interest once more and cast some intriguing, frustrating, and outright hostile couples--Mika and Canaan, anyone?--in the world's biggest scavenger hunt, sending them around the globe to compete in various challenges and put their relationships to the test. While some teams fell way too soon (sorry, Justin and Zev), the drama and the pacing, thanks to some quality editing, kept the tension going strong, all the way to the finish line.
Flipping Out (Bravo)
No reality series makes me laugh like Bravo's Flipping Out. Despite the plunging housing market and the economic recession, Jeff Lewis, Jenni, Zoila, and the gang were back for some more obsessive-compulsive misadventures in Los Angeles. Fear and paranoia reigned supreme this season, which offered not just some belly-aches but also some genuine emotion as Jeff accused his former business partner Ryan of cheating him out of work and considered adopting a child. It's a testament to the quirkiness of the series' leads that I want to go back to Jeff Lewis' office week after week. (Come on, Bravo, bring on Season Four ASAP!)
Best New Fall Series:
Modern Family (ABC)
Yes, I already mentioned it under Best Comedies but it warrants another mention here. ABC's Modern Family easily walks away with the award for my favorite new fall series. Boasting one of the most dynamic and talented ensemble casts, Modern Family serves up both humor and heart without delving into the melodramatic or the saccharine. No small feat, considering the series has changed my opinion on what's possible with the family comedy format, a creaky sub-genre until this breath of fresh air came along. The Pritchett clan is one family that I can't wait to catch up with each week and the subtle humor--ranging from Casablanca shout-outs to burgundy dinner jackets--is already a surefire hit in this household. Innocente!
Best British Imports:
Doctor Who (BBC America)
While only airing a handful of episodes (sorry, "specials") in 2009, Doctor Who remains at the top of my list of British imports, thanks to the fantastic performance of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. While his song is sadly coming to an end, Tennant offered some fantastic turns in such specials as Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead and Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, the latter of which might just be one of the darkest and most compelling entries in the entire revival series. Quirky, compelling, and unpredictable, Doctor Who played to Tennant's strengths, allowing the Shakespearean actor to be charming, roguish, and insane in equal measure. David Tennant, you'll be missed.
The Mighty Boosh (Adult Swim)
Come with us now on a journey through time and space. The three seasons of critically-acclaimed BBC Three cult hit The Mighty Boosh (which aired Stateside on Adult Swim) are a dazzling blend of music, surreal comedy, and over the top fashion as Howard Moon (Julian Barratt) and Vince Noir (Noel Fielding), would-be rock gods/zookeepers/sales clerks, explore the twisted backwaters of the human psyche through a series of bizarre misadventures. Joining them on this psychedelic road trip to dimensions as-yet-unseen are pot-addled shaman Naboo the Enigma (Michael Fielding) and his ape familiar Bollo (Dave Brown). It’s indescribably weird, absolutely hilarious, and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before on television.
Ashes to Ashes (BBC America)
Spinning off of the trippy cop drama Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes took a different cop (Keely Hawes' Alex Drake), another David Bowie song ("Ashes to Ashes"), and another era (1980s) and created an slick and addictive drama series that's a dark exploration of the psyche of damaged forensic psychologist DI Alex Drake as she struggles to survive a gunshot wound and make her way back to the present day. Plus, the series' eerie suspense, a twisted Season Two plot involving freemasons and other potential travelers, and the trademark banter between Alex and the gruff Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister), who waltzes away with some of the series' best lines, keeps the series cutting-edge and dynamic. As Alex solves some of period cases (and ones involving her own past), the clock is ticking down as the end of the series--and the franchise--looms next year. Just who is Gene Hunt? What is this world? And what has happened to Sam Tyler and Alex Drake? We'll be getting some answers in the third and final season of this fantastic sci-fi/cop/period/psychological drama in 2010. (Note: Season Two has yet to air in the States.)
Torchwood: Children of Earth (BBC America)
Unfolding with the breakneck pacing of an epic miniseries, the third season of Torchwood, entitled Torchwood: Children of Earth, offered an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride and set up a compelling, brutal, and gut-wrenching story of an alien invasion and the past sins of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). While the final installment buckled somewhat under the weight of the previous installments, the limited run proved to be unforgettable, offering some intense moral dilemmas, weighty adult themes, and tough choices for the employees of Torchwood.
Best British Import (Yet to Air in the States):
The Inbetweeners (BBC America)
The much-delayed comedy from creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley might just be the best thing that hasn't yet aired in the US. (Look for the first two seasons of this hilariously raucous comedy to launch January 25th on BBC America.) Almost operating as the anti-Skins, The Inbetweeners tells the story of four teenage friends who spend their time trying to obtain booze, get lucky with girls, and cut each other down to size. In other words: they're painfully average teenage boys. In the hands of Morris and Beesley, the quartet have some painfully hilarious sexual adventures that will have you laughing, gasping, and groaning... all at the same time.
Best British Imports (Reality Edition):
Gordon Ramsay's F Word (BBC America)
Take outspoken British chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay, put him in the kitchen where he's putting some inexperienced brigades through their paces and send him out in search of all things tasty, odd, or curious or to teach people to cook at home and you have the truly fantastic F Word, a blend of culinary competition, food-oriented news magazine, celebrity interview, and all-around celebration of all things delicious. Ramsay's not shy of expressing his opinion but he's also at his most real here, as he transforms his family's back garden to rear pigs and sheep or teaching the hopeless how to prepare a tasty feast on their own.
Last Restaurant Standing (BBC America)
Words can't express my love for British reality series Last Restaurant Standing (which airs in the UK under the title The Restaurant), which challenges couples to run their own restaurants... and hands them keys to eating establishments where they'll man the front-of-house and the kitchen. Judges Raymond Blanc, Sarah Willingham, and David Moore put them through their paces with tough challenges but the real test is the daily service as the couples face the hard grind of the restaurant business and have to meet the judges' rigorous expectations of the food, service, decor, and atmosphere of their restaurants... and they must face the wrath of the culinary troika as well as the dining public. Compelling, shocking, and grueling, it's a treat to watch for foodies, who will count their blessings that they're not on the line for service that night.
And there we have it. A sampling of some of my favorites from 2009. As the year rapidly swings to a close, I'm curious to see what your favorite (and least favorite) series were, which shows you can't get enough of, and which ones you're happy to see the back of now. Discuss.
Will it be passion or professionalism?
With just a few weeks to go before the Season Three premiere of Chuck, NBC has unveiled a new promo for the action-comedy that plays up the romance between Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) and Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) as well as the push-and-pull between duty and love.
Spoiler-phobes might want to look away as there are some rather intriguing reveals contained in the below Chuck promo, released today, that might point to some action for these spies.
Will these two finally get together this season? Who can say, though you can read my advance review of the first five episodes of Season Three of Chuck to glean any clues I may have left there about whether this star-crossed couple finally manages to put aside their professional responsibilities for some much deserved romance...
Season Three of Chuck launches January 10th at 9 pm ET/PT with a two-hour premiere before moving to its regular timeslot Mondays at 8 pm ET/PT on January 11th. Continue reading full story...
Channel Surfing: Mia Kirschner Bites into "Vampire Diaries," Starz Renews "Spartacus," Jeff Probst Believes Wrong Person Won "Survivor," and More
Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Mia Kirschner (The L Word, 24) has been cast in a recurring role on the CW's The Vampire Diaries, where she will play Isobel, described as "the sweet-yet-dangerous wife of Matt Davis’ history teacher, Alaric." Kirschner will first appear in the January 21st episode. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)
Starz has renewed drama series Spartacus for a second season, more than a month before the first season even premieres. Season Two of the swords-and-sandals drama, entitled Spartacus: Vengeance, will go into production early next year, with executive producers Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen, and Steven S. DeKnight all returning for Season Two. [Editor: Look for former Dollhouse staffers Mo Tancharoen and Jed Whedon to also turn up on the writing staff for Season Two of Spartacus.] (Televisionary)
Over at EW.com, Survivor host/producer Jeff Probst has written about the season finale of the CBS reality series and his belief that the wrong person won the grand prize. "I think Russell was the victim of a jury of bitter people," wrote Probst. "I am not taking anything away from Natalie, she clearly did a great job of reading the group dynamic of the jury and as a result she deserves the money. Oftentimes on Survivor, the vote does come down to a choice where a determining factor is “how nice someone is” but that’s usually when all other criteria being considered is equal. That doesn’t hold up this season. This season was so lopsided in terms of one person (Russell) completely dominating the game that to not give him the money and the title is a bit silly." (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)
ABC has given a pilot order to multi-camera comedy Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid, about a man and a woman who have been very unlucky in love and hope that their latest relationship will work out. Project, from ABC Studios, is based on a book by Howard Morris and Jenny Lee, who will write the pilot script. (Variety)
BBC America has announced a February 13th launch date for post-apocalyptic drama Survivors. Series, executive produced by Adrian Hodges, will premiere Saturday, February 13th at 8 pm ET/PT, before shifting to its regular timeslot at 9 pm ET/PT the following week. (Televisionary)
CBS has given a pilot script order to CSI creator Anthony Zuiker's cop drama Jax and Amber, which will revolve around two female detectives who "harbor a unique insight into solving crimes," according to Variety's Michael Schneider. Project, from CBS Television Studios, will be written by Elizabeth Devine, who will executive produce with Zuiker and Deran Sarafian (House), the latter of which is attached to direct, should the project be ordered to pilot. Zuiker also has drama Cyber Crimes in development at CBS. (Variety)
Disney XD has given a series order to live-action comedy Pair of Kings, which revolves around a set of fraternal twins (one is white, the other black) who are "raised by their aunt and uncle until they find out that they are heirs to the throne of the island of Kinkou; they relocate there to become kings." Series, which will debut next fall, stars Mitchel Musso, Doc Shaw, Geno Segers, Kelsey Chow, and Ryan Ochoa and was created by Dan Cross and Dave Hoge (Aaron Stone). (Hollywood Reporter)
Liberty Media has named former HBO Chairman/CEO Chris Albrecht as president and CEO of Starz. He'll assume the position beginning January 1st and will oversee all Starz entities, including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and Film Roman. (Variety, Deadline Hollywood Daily)
FremantleMedia North America has promoted Manfred Westphal to senior VP of marketing and communications at the company, which produces American Idol and America's Got Talent. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
In an unusual move, pay cabler Starz has renewed Spartacus for a second season, over a month before the first season, entitled Spartacus: Blood and Sand is set to debut.
Starz handed out a thirteen-episode second season order to Spartacus today, which will begin production on Season Two in early 2010 in New Zealand. The plot details for Season Two, expected to be entitled Sparactus: Vengeance, are being kept firmly under wraps. Executive producers Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen, and Steven S. DeKnight (who is also the series' head writer) will all return for Season Two.
"We couldn’t be happier with the first season. Spartacus delivers on all levels – action, characters, intrigue, romance and excitement," said Stephan Shelanski, Starz Entertainment EVP, Programming, in a statement. "Spartacus is the most ambitious original project we’ve ever undertaken, and speaks to the commitment to our subscribers to provide truly original programming along with our unmatched lineup of theatrical features."
"Steven S. DeKnight and his team of writers have created a rich narrative that lays the groundwork for more great stories," added Tapert. "The slave rebellion led by Spartacus and the oh-so-current political intrigue and personal dynamics laid out in the first season provide rich source material for the second season and beyond."
Season One of Spartacus is set to premiere on January 21st on Starz.
The full press release from Starz announcing the pickup can be found below.
Second Season of Highly Anticipated Action Adventure Series Gets
Green Light Prior To January 22 Premiere
Burbank, Calif. – December 21, 2009 – In a bold vote of confidence, Starz executives announced plans today to order a second season of the ground-breaking new original series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” set to premiere Friday, January 22nd at 10 pm ET/PT. The unusual timing of the renewal, more than one month prior to the debut of the highly anticipated program, gives returning executive producers Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, Joshua Donen and Steven S. DeKnight (who is also the head writer on the show) the green light to start production in New Zealand on 13 new episodes in the first quarter of 2010.
“We couldn’t be happier with the first season. Spartacus delivers on all levels – action, characters, intrigue, romance and excitement,” said Starz Entertainment EVP, Programming, Stephan Shelanski. “Spartacus is the most ambitious original project we’ve ever undertaken, and speaks to the commitment to our subscribers to provide truly original programming along with our unmatched lineup of theatrical features.”
“Steven S. DeKnight and his team of writers have created a rich narrative that lays the groundwork for more great stories,” added Executive Producer Rob Tapert. “The slave rebellion led by Spartacus and the oh-so-current political intrigue and personal dynamics laid out in the first season provide rich source material for the second season and beyond.”
The title of the second season is expected to be “Spartacus: Vengeance,” but other details are being kept under wraps, so as not to spoil any of the sure-to-shock plot twists the first season promises to deliver.
Nearly 4 million moviegoers saw the new “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” trailer in theaters over the weekend and it is expected to hit wide online today.
“Spartacus: Blood and Sand” features Australian newcomer Andy Whitfield as the title character, a Thracian fighting to return to his wife after being sold into slavery at a gladiatorial school. He is joined by Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess,” “Battlestar: Galactica”) as the deceptive Lucretia, John Hannah (The Mummy movies) as her power-hungry husband Batiatus, Peter Mensah (300) as the head of the gladiatorial school, Doctore, along with a cast of familiar as well as fresh faces.
The series is shot utilizing virtual environments in the graphic novel style of such successful features as 300 and Sin City. The process gives the show a fresh narrative approach and a hyper-realistic look that is unlike anything yet seen on TV. It’s an entirely new vision of the ancient legend.
Debuting exclusively on Starz, “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” is produced by Starz Media with Executive Producers Rob Tapert (The Grudge, “Xena: Warrior Princess” and “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”), Sam Raimi (Spider-Man and The Evil Dead), Joshua Donen (The Quick and the Dead) and Steven S. DeKnight (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
About Starz Media
Starz Media, LLC, is a programming production and distribution company operating worldwide. It includes the Film Roman, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and Manga Entertainment brands. Its units create animated and live-action programming -- including theatrical films -- and programming created under contract for other media companies. It distributes that programming, and programming acquired from outside producers, through home video retailers, theaters, broadcasters, ad supported and premium television channels, and Internet and wireless video distributors in the US and internationally. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital Group.
About Starz Entertainment
Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. It offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz® and Encore® brands with approximately 17.3 million and 30.7 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advanced services including Starz HD, Encore HD, Starz On Demand, Encore On Demand, MoviePlex On Demand, Starz HD On Demand, Encore HD On Demand, MoviePlex HD On Demand, and Starz Play. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty Starz (NASDAQ: LSTZA), a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation.
Continue reading full story...
BBC America has announced the launch date for post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors.
The much-delayed Survivors, which is an adaptation of the cult classic 1970s series (itself based on Terry Nation's novel), will have its US premiere on Saturday, February 13th at 8 pm ET/PT, before shifting to its regular timeslot at 9 pm ET/PT the following week.
The series tracks the adventures of a group of people who survive a global viral holocaust that wipes out 99 percent of the human race's population and who struggle to stay alive in the face of unspeakable odds following this global catastrophe.
In the official scheduling announcement, BBC America refers to the "twelve-episode season" of Survivors, which is a sign that the digital cabler intend to air the first two UK seasons of Survivors back-to-back. Season One, which aired in the UK in 2008, was comprised of six episodes and the second season of Survivors will launch early next year in the United Kingdom.
This version of Survivors, overseen by Adrian Hodges (Primeval), boasts a cast that includes Julie Graham (Bonekickers), Paterson Joseph (No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Max Beesley (Hotel Babylon), Phillip Rhys (Nip/Tuck), Zoë Tapper (Demons), Nikki Amuka–Bird, Shaun Dingwall, and Chahak Patel.
"Survivors is about what it means to be human, said Hodges. "It asks questions about our nature and confronts us with our deepest fears. When everything else is stripped away, would we band together and find the best in ourselves, or would we fall apart and retreat into barbarism and savagery?"
The full press release from BBC America announcing the scheduling can be found below.
Imagine what would happen if a virulent disease scoured the planet, wiping out 99% of the human race. It kills every member of your family, your lovers, friends, neighbors and probably everyone you have ever known. Imagine the world stripped of all the conveniences of the 21st Century – no law, no shops, no communications, no transport, no electricity, no clean water. This is the apocalyptic scenario facing the heroes at the center of this chilling new drama series, brought to you by the co-creator and writer of Primeval. Set in the present day, Survivors focuses on the world in the aftermath of a virus where only a lonely few are left to start over in a devastated world where everything that was once safe and familiar is now strange and dangerous. The 12 episode season of Survivors premieres Saturday, February 13, 8:00p.m. ET/PT - subsequent episodes premiere at 9:00p.m. ET/PT.
In the middle of the story is a bewildered but resilient group of survivors led by Abby Grant, a woman whose strength comes from a burning need to find out if her young son is still alive. Other members of the group include Greg (a good man who hides the pain of his past), Anya (a doctor who has seen too many people die) and Al, a former playboy who becomes surrogate father to streetwise urchin Najid. Then there is Tom, outwardly handsome and charming, but actually a dangerous and ruthless man who, unbeknown to the others, was a high-security prisoner before the virus hit.
This brave new world brings an opportunity for new beginnings, but also terrible dangers – not just the daily struggle for food and water, but also a deadly threat from other survivors. The cast includes Julie Graham as Abby Grant, Paterson Joseph as Greg, Freema Agyeman as Jenny, Max Beesley as Tom Price, Phillip Rhys as Al, Zoë Tapper as Anya, Nikki Amuka–Bird as Samantha Willis, Shaun Dingwall as David and newcomer Chahak Patel as 11-year-old Najid.
“Survivors is about what it means to be human,” says award-winning writer and executive producer Adrian Hodges (co-creator and writer of Primeval). “It asks questions about our nature and confronts us with our deepest fears. When everything else is stripped away, would we band together and find the best in ourselves, or would we fall apart and retreat into barbarism and savagery?”
Hodges’ Survivors is a re-imagining of the classic ‘70s BBC drama series, and is based on the novel by Terry Nation. Hodges adds: “Survivors is about adventure, fear, love, loyalty and friendship. But above all, it’s about new hope.”
BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies, life-changing makeovers and a whole new world of nonfiction. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 65 million homes. Continue reading full story...
"A Time Lord victorious."
You had a chance to read my advance review of the sensational Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars but now that the latest David Tennant-led Doctor Who special has aired, I'm curious to see just what you thought of the special, written by Russell T. Davies and Phil Ford, which found the Doctor grappling with some weighty issues about predetermination, free will, and responsibility.
As I said in my review, I thought that Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars was the darkest and most adult of the 2008-09 Doctor Who specials and brought us a Tenth Doctor for whom time was running out, both literally and figuratively. The Tenth Doctor's song is ending (and with it, rather sadly, David Tennant's run on the series) and he's waiting to hear those four knocks that will signal his doom but before then the Doctor made a stunning decision that might seal his fate once and for all.
In choosing to intervene in the "fixed time" element of the Bowie Base One disaster, the Doctor oversteps his bounds, both as hero and as the last of the Time Lords. Throughout the series' run, the Doctor has been wary of interfering with events or times that are fixed. His involvement in Pompeii ended up bringing about the city's destruction as a result; Pompeii had to be destroyed and the Doctor had always been the one to destroy it. At the time, it was a tough decision to make but one that he had to do in order to save the human race from a greater evil. Perhaps the ability to make those moral judgments--to safeguard the greater good--is both the Doctor's strength and his curse.
Here, he's faced once again with an enormous dilemma but there's no companion to push him towards the correct course (as Donna Noble had done in Pompeii). As before, he saves a handful of people from certain doom but in doing so, alters the natural course of the universe. While Donna's insistence that they save one family doesn't have any huge implications about the future, the Doctor's interference here does. Adelaide Brooke's death on Bowie Base One directly influences her granddaughter, who follows in Adelaide's footsteps and takes the human race to the stars.
The Doctor, in an act of hubris, decides not to follow time's natural path. He opts instead to save Adelaide Brooke (Lindsay Duncan), believing that she can still inspire her granddaughter and still save the human race. The Doctor wrongly believes that he is not chained to the laws of time and space. He is the last of the Time Lords and time itself bows to his command. He saves Adelaide, aware of the costs. It's a monumental error, perhaps made because he knows his own death is stalking him, circling him and ready to pounce. If he can save Adelaide, perhaps he can save himself?
But it's a dark gift that is too much for Adelaide to bear, too much responsibility for one person to carry. She knows that the fate of the human race rests on her slender shoulders and, even if the Doctor will not make the right decision, she will. She sadly enters her house after telling the Doctor that a "Time Lord victorious is wrong." And she promptly kills herself, righting the course of history and keeping the human race on the path they were meant to be on.
It's a rare miscalculation from the usually infallible Doctor, an act of shocking hubris that comes as a surprise but also perhaps serves as a fitting consequence of the death and destruction he's left in his wake these past few years. A fatal flaw that points to his inevitable regeneration and the end of this form.
As for the Ood who appears before the Doctor, he is a harbinger of things to come. The darkness is closing in on the Doctor, even as he rallies to try and fight his fate. The fear in his face as he attempts to escape the inescapable (and the sound of danger-alerting cloister bell) is palpable. He'll fight with his very last breath to stay alive and what's even more gut-wrenching is that we, as the audience, knows that he ultimately will fall.
What did you think of Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars? How did it compare to the other specials? Just what will happen to the Doctor in the final two-part episode of David Tennant's run? And how sad are you that Tennant is leaving the series? Discuss.
Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One airs Saturday at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.
Channel Surfing: USA Renews "White Collar," ABC to Burn Off "Ted" and "Scrubs," "True Blood," and More
Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.
In an early Christmas present to fans, USA gave out a second season order to dramedy White Collar. The news was broken by series creator Jeff Eastin, who announced the renewal via Twitter on Friday. ("White Collar season 2 pickup is official!" wrote Eastin. "Congratulations to the best cast and crew on television.") Hardly a surprising turn of events considering that the Fox Television Studios-produced series posted its strongest numbers--5.6 million viewers overall--for its fall finale. White Collar returns with new episodes on January 19th. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)
Less good news for fans of ABC's absurdist comedy Better Off Ted or the resurrected Scrubs, however. The Futon Critic is reporting that ABC plans to wrap up the runs of both Better Off Ted and Scrubs in January, burning off both series by double-pumping them in the 8 pm and 9 pm hours throughout the month, along with an extra airing on Friday, January 1st. The news means that both comedies will end their runs by the time the month is over. (Futon Critic)
True Blood casting alert! Lindsay Pulsipher (The Beast) has been cast as a series regular on HBO’s True Blood, where she will play Crystal Norris, described as "a barefoot, sundress-wearing woman who shares an electric connection with Jason (Ryan Kwanten) before vanishing into the forest." (Hollywood Reporter)
In a surprising twist, CBS will use the coveted post-Super Bowl slot on February 7th to launch new reality series Undercover Boss, rather than air one of their current series. Series, executive produced by Stephen Lambert, follows CEOs as they go undercover at their companies to see what challenges actually affect their employees. Series will move into its regular timeslot, Sundays at 9 pm, beginning February 14th... which also sees the start of a new season of The Amazing Race as well. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)
In other CBS-related news, the network will launch the twentieth season of Survivor, named Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, on February 11th. The season will feature the return of twenty former players, who will be divided into two tribes. "20 of Survivor's greatest castaways return, and a conflict will ignite," host Jeff Probst said. "One side chosen for their skills in deception, manipulation, and duplicity: the villains. And the other, defined by their decisions of integrity, courage, and honor: the heroes. Twenty castaways will return seeking revenge or redemption in the biggest battle in Survivor history.” (Reality Blurred)
E! Online's Jennifer Godwin caught up with Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy to talk about the back nine episodes, slated to debut on FOX in March, including some romance for Lea Michele's Rachel. "There's a lot of love stuff going on for [Rachel Berry] in the show in the next episodes: Jonathan [Groff]... Finn... Puck (Mark Salling)," teased Murphy. Murphy also said that he was most excited about the upcoming Madonna-centric episode, which airs this spring. "We have 10 Madonna songs in that episode," Murphy told Godwin. "Huge songs, huge production numbers. I'm really excited about that. I'm really excited about Kristin Chenoweth coming back. She is just a doll, and I love writing for her. I love pitching songs that she's never sung. She'd never sung 'Maybe This Time' before, and she did it on Glee, and now she uses it as her opening number. And then we have a couple of really big top-secret guest stars who I really can't say [who they are yet]." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
ABC given a pilot order to comedy Awkward Situations for Men, which will follow British comedian Danny Wallace as he moves to the States with his wife, "only to discover that his everyday behavior clashes with American values and gets him into trouble." Wallace will play himself in the project, which is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Heydaycq Films. Pilot is written by Wallace (based on his forthcoming book) and Jeff and Jackie Filgo (That '70s Show), who will executive produce. (Hollywood Reporter)
20th Century Fox Television has signed a two-year overall deal with Brett Ratner's Rat TV shingle, which currently has several projects in development at CBS, FOX, and TNT. Those scripted projects include: CBS satirical drama Chaos, from writer Tom Spezialy, about the CIA; FOX drama The Devil and Daniel Webster, a modern take on the classic Stephen Vincent Benet short story, from writer William Blake Herron; and TNT cop drama The Dead Beat, from writer Sean Jablonski. (Variety)
The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that The Paley Center for Media and Sony Pictures Television are said to be in talks about launching a television awards special and are talking to multiple networks to gauge interest in such an offering. Initial reports indicated that the special would compete with the Primetime Emmy Awards, but a Paley spokesperson denied any sort of rivalry. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)
Futon Critic is reporting that FOX midseason comedy Sons of Tucson will now launch on Sunday, March 14th at 9:30 pm ET/PT while animated comedy The Cleveland Show will now remain in its current timeslot at 8:30 pm ET/PT. (Futon Critic)
In a rare move, Showtime will air the pilot for comedy Ronna and Beverly, which was not picked up to series earlier this year. In a amortization-related decision, the pay cabler will air the pilot, which stars Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo, twice this week. (Variety)
Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) will host NBC game show Perfect 10, which will premiere in 2010. (via press release)
Stay tuned.
"Water always wins."
Those words are uttered by the Doctor (David Tennant) about a certain water-based entity stalking the crew of Bowie Base One, the groundbreaking Mars colony currently inhabited by a group of Earth scientists. Certainly then, the Doctor and the residents of Bowie Base One (and, yes, that's a direct reference to "Life on Mars" singer David Bowie) are at a bit of a disadvantage. How do you fight something that's persistent, deadly, and can wait forever, wearing down everything around it? How do you battle the eternal?
In his journeys through time and space, The Doctor has squared off against some pretty tough adversaries but perhaps none quite so dangerous as the one he faces in the latest Doctor Who special, the darkly compelling Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, written by Russell T. Davies and Phil Ford and directed by Graeme Harper.
That's because the enemy he must confront is himself.
I had the opportunity to watch Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars in advance of its US broadcast tomorrow night on BBC America and was immediately struck by its darkness, its stakes, and a sense that time is finally catching up with the Tenth Doctor.
Just what did I think of Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars? Read on for my thoughts but beware there are minor spoilers lurking about.
At its core, Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars is a story of survival, not just for the crew members of Bowie Base One but also for the Doctor himself, the ultimate survivor of a doomed race that has been exterminated. Survivor guilt can do strange things to those it infects; it's propelled the Doctor out among the stars on a never-ending series of adventures, always running, always looking to connect, and always ending up once more on his own.
Over the course of the revival series, we've seen the Doctor attempt to form permanent relationships with the companions he brings aboard the TARDIS but every time he does, the universe conspires to punish the Doctor for managing to survive. Each of those relationships--whether it be with Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, or Donna Noble--always end in tragedy.
In Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, the Doctor talks about certain events being fixed points in time and the plot revolves around his interference into one of those very unalterable events. Here, he comes in contact with the crew of Bowie Base One, led by the gruff Adelaide Brooke (Lindsay Duncan). Adelaide is unlike any of the other companions the Doctor has encountered; she's perhaps a woman as stubborn and far-thinking as the Doctor himself, a pragmatist who knows just what needs to be done, no matter what the sacrifice. As the base falls prey to the aforementioned water-based entities, Adelaide faces her toughest decision yet, a choice that she must make that will put the future of the human race on the line and yet which also connects to a very personal moment she shared fifty years earlier, a moment that ties in very nicely with the continuity and plot of the Doctor Who revival series.
As for the Doctor, he too faces a choice here. It's a decision which speaks volumes about the pressures and tragedies that the Tenth Doctor has faced since his regeneration. It's a monumental decision that alters some of the unquestionable boundaries the Doctor has placed on himself and ultimately exposes his fatal flaw.
Yes, it turns out that the Doctor is just as human, perhaps, as any of us. And the flaw he holds within his character is one that has faced many a character in literature as the Doctor falls prey to hubris and makes a decision that could change the Doctor from hero into a tragic figure.
Tenant and Duncan make a superb pair and there's an energy and respect between the two that puts them on equal footing in a way that the Doctor hasn't quite been with any of his previous companions. There's a sense that Adelaide, like the Doctor, has to make unpopular decisions and that she too is alone in the universe. That they would find each other to be sympatico souls in the toughest of situations and yet never take their chemistry into a romantic place is a testament both to the actors and the top-notch writing of Davies and Ford here. There are still little Davies-esque quirks here, such as the "gadget, gadget"-spouting droid but this is a more serious, "adult" adventure than we've seen the Doctor on in quite a while.
I won't say anything more, lest I give away just what happens in this momentous and tense special. The end is near for the Doctor and will signal its arrival with four knocks. That time is drawing ever closer and in Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars there's a sense of a ticking clock as we prepare to say goodbye to the Tenth Doctor and series lead David Tennant. Decisions are made, lines are crossed, and consequences hit home.
Yet for all of the Doctor's bravery and good intentions, there are some things that can't be undone, some events that must unfold, and some fates that can't be avoided. For a man such as the Doctor, a Time Lord who exists somewhat outside the laws of time and space, I am sure that the irony isn't lost on him.
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars airs tomorrow night at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America. Continue reading full story...
Channel Surfing: Boris Kodjoe Gets "Undercovers," "Big Love" Departure, Showtime Sees "Sunshine," Julie Benz Discusses "Dexter" Finale, and More
Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.
Another cast member has been secured for J.J. Abram's NBC espionage drama pilot Undercovers. Boris Kodjoe (Surrogates, Soul Food) has been cast as the male lead, Steven Bloom. Steven and his wife Samantha (as yet uncast) work together as spies. Abrams, who co-wrote the pilot script with Josh Reims, may still come aboard the project as the pilot's director. (Hollywood Reporter)
SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has the scoop on the departure of one of the cast members from HBO's drama series Big Love, which returns with its fourth season on January 10th. [Editor: I am not even going to put the name of the actor here as the article is extremely spoilery (though has at least one piece of misinformation), so read at your own risk.] (TV Guide Magazine)
Showtime is developing a series adaptation of feature film Sunshine Cleaning, about a pair of sisters who work as crime scene cleaners. The pay cabler has hired the film's writer, Megan Holley, to adapt it as a drama series and is developing the project in-house. (Variety)
E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an interview with Dexter star Julie Benz, in which the duo discuss the shocking events of this past week's Dexter season finale. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)
FOX has bumped up the return of House, originally set for January 25th, to January 11th, in order to compete with the second half of NBC's Chuck third season premiere, according to Broadcasting & Cable's Melissa Grego. House will then break for a week to accommodate the second part of 24's Day Eight launch before returning with new episodes on January 25th. (Broadcasting & Cable)
James Nesbitt (Occupation), Minnie Driver (The Riches), and Goran Visnjic (ER) have been cast in five-part thriller The Deep, which will air on BBC One in 2010. Project, written by Simon Donald and directed by Jim O'Hanlon and Colm McCarthy, "the crew of an oceanographic submarine as they search the final frontiers of Earth for unknown and remarkable life forms" beneath the Arctic ice. (BBC)
Lifetime is developing an untitled legal drama about a "team of victim witness advocates" from Sony Pictures Television, Apostle, and writer Pam Wechsler (Canterbury's Law), who will executive produce alongside Jim Serpico and Denis Leary. (Hollywood Reporter)
TLC has ordered a third season of reality series Toddlers and Tiaras, which it will launch on January 20th. (Futon Critic)
Cartoon Network has a live-action comedy project in development from writers Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward. The untitled action-comedy, which is being developed as a two-hour backdoor pilot, revolves around a teenager who "gets more than he bargained for when his family sponsors a Japanese exchange student on a secret mission far greater than just surviving high school." (Hollywood Reporter)
A. Smith and Co. cable spinoff A. Smith and Co. Properties has a number of projects in the works, including Travel Channel's The Streets of America: The Search for America's Worst Driver and Discovery's Ultimate Car Build Off, as well as current properties such as Spike's UFC Countdown, TV One's Unsung, and TruTV's Full Throttle and Conspiracy Theory With Jesse Ventura. (Variety)
Stay tuned.
