I was a very bad TV-geek this week. I missed shows because actual real-life important stuff interrupted regular programming. Which happens, that's life. The badness is that I recorded shows and still haven't watched them. Chuck didn't get my undivided attention, and I tried to watch Gossip Girl, but it was v. late when I did and I think I fell asleep in the last ten. Couple that with no Pushing Daisies or Supernatural or something else I'm forgetting right now, and well, I don't have much to post.
So I'm changing things up and adding a few telly-related items that snagged my interest.
- This handy dandy little strike chart compiled by Michael Ausiello (slowly but surely, I totally defected from Watch with Kristin and became a bona fide Aushole) tells us not only how many episodes remain of our fave programs, but also how many episodes have been/will be completed.
- Kiefer Sutherland started his sentence at the Glendale hoosegow (of course his mugshot smolders). Let's hope he doesn't end up as scraggly as Jack Bauer after his stint in the Chinese prison. Eh, it's not like working in the kitchen or doing laundry is actual torture, so I'm guessing not. I guess we won't get a rematch of Sutherland vs. Spruce this year for Christmas.
- I never thought I'd defend Jennifer Love Hewitt for any reason whatsoever (really not a fan), but twice in one week? I know Hell didn't freeze over because it's 70+ degrees in my hometown. So, she's on the cover of People defending her average-looking ass to folks who have criticized it (as a part of her size two frame) after being snapped by scumbag razzi in a bikini while on va-cay. Good for her for calling out skeezy TMZ, all the jackwads that chimed in with negative thoughts about her normal booty, and for the ridiculous expectations put on women by Hollywood when it comes to size and weight. But she didn't say boo about being on NY Daily News' list of the 50 Dumbest People in Hollywood? I think she is the only celeb without a scandal and/or public dumbass or drunkass behavior on the list. She's there for just being her, right? Maybe she didn't want to acknowledge it with a response (it is the Daily News). But, criticize her butt and get a scathing personal blog post and media frenzy; criticize her intellect, nada? What's up with that?
The Good
On 30 Rock . . .
Jack: We are lovers.
Liz: Oh, that word bums me out unless it’s between the words meat and pizza.
"I hear there's a great selection of handlers in this year's CIA Christmas catalog." Casey on Chuck. It's so nice to have Adam Baldwin on my small screen every week. Sigh.
"Serena plans on bedding as many millionaires as possible." The last line of Serena's introduction at the debutante ball on Gossip Girl. Well, Blair didn't want it to sound like hers.
The Bad(Ass)
Oh, Heroes. Hell, after last week, I need to watch it again. A nice season finale that answered questions, solved some mysteries while still providing cliffhangers (something Lost is incapable of doing; I don't care what Stephen King says in the Dec. 14 EW about these two shows, I lost a lot of faith and interest in Lost once it became obvious the audience wouldn't get answers and issues made it apparent Lindelof and Cuse might not actually have a plan. At least Tim Kring owns up to his mistakes). No shirtless boys, but that's okay because there was lots of action to distract me. Nathan better not die. One of the reasons I tuned into this show early on was for Pasdar. As for Niki? Meh.
Although I'm kind of tired of comparisons of Lily/Rufus and Serena/Dan (Jenny and Eric can never date, please) on Gossip Girl because it's kind of weird and skeevy, I did like scheming society beeyotch Grandmother CeCe as the foil to the relationships. Because I really love Lily and Rufus together. So if it means they learn a thing or two from watching their kiddos defy the odds, struggle to be together but continue to find a way, so be it. And she's a much more entertaining obstacle than Alison who truly annoys me. By the by, good to have Jenny and Chuck back this week, even though Chuck only found out he had a heart once it was broken (love Gossip Girl so much sometimes). I thought the ball would be kind of hokey, but somehow, Josh Scwhartz and crew are still managing to make rehashed drama seem fresh.
The Ugly
Dexter's Lila = Hate. The show still manges to rock, although a little differently this season--I just needed to say that upfront. I am sick of Lila. I totally retract ever thinking she reminded me of a younger, artsy-psycho Nigella Lawson because Nigella is nine kinds of awesome. Oh, and Deb and Lundy do not work. I wanted to like them because I adore Deb this season, as opposed to last season when I didn't mind if Rudy/Brian killed her. I also love Keith Carradine and what he's done with Lundy. It's not a problem with the age difference; those two lack any spark.
Matt Saracen and Helllllo Nurse! got so much worse this week on Friday Night Lights. They are disaster. And just killed a good episode too. Wrapped up the Mini-Mart Murder, thank you. Julie mended fences with Tami, spectacular. Riggins did whatever it takes to make Coach and the Follicles of Fury happy while realizing that Tighty-Whitey Meth Dealer is a danger, delightful. Buddy Garrity and Santiago tripped over obstacles in their new relationship, surprisingly touching. Jason hooked up with the waitress after his internet hookup turned freaky, um, not really digging that. But Scott Porter was adorable (he still reminds me of Teddy Dunn for some reason) and now that Street's moved in with Herc, maybe we'll get more of those two in the remaining episodes.
Strike Link
Oy, just one because I am so bummed. Talks have stalled thanks to the AMPTP's grandstanding ulitmatum issued to the WGA. (Check out the link to Nikki Finke's blog with a copy of the proposal and decide for yourself, much politics). So much for a merry holiday in LaLaLand. Not gonna happen. Even the president of IATSE, who has been against the way the WGA has handled negotiations for a long time, is siding with the producers. That's not good. There are 50,000 members of IATSE below-the-line crew trying to make ends meet (the union has a no-strike clause) who might not be too supportive if negotiations drag on forever. Told you that the work stoppage could be a problem. Here's hoping the new year brings progress. .
Egads, pickings are slim this week. On top of the very light schedule, I even missed Scrubs completely.
The Good
Morgan often grates on Chuck, but he rocked
this week. There were several funny gems in the Black Friday segment,
but this one scored points with me.
Morgan:
Sorry, you look just like this guy who roomed with my best friend at Stanford
Bryce:
Oh, yeah. Sorry. I went to Penn.
I'll take it as a compliment.
Morgan:
Don't. That guy Bryce was a real douche.
True Friend 1; Asshat 0
"Why is saving the world always your responsibility?" Ando to Hiro on Heroes
"An attractive man who makes pies for a living shouldn’t even spend a short amount of time in prison." Emerson on Pushing Daisies.
"Don't mess with the Pie Hos!!" Chuck and Olive after exacting their revenge on the candy store on Pushing Daisies.
"If you think about it, it makes total sense that your mom was a groupie. I mean only a woman that had completely satisfied her sexual appetite in her youth would ever marry your step-dads." Blair on Gossip Girl after finding out Lilly and rocker Rufus were an item back in the day.
"These things tend to happen, Liz. I had my no sex with Asians rule but then one day you walk into Sharper Image and there's Kwan." Because I usually don't laugh at Jenna, I'm giving her the 30 Rock quote o' the week.
"Is it still Cabo in your pants?" Matt Saracen on Friday Night Lights showing up to rescue Smash after his beers-n-women recruitment weekend went wrong.
The Bad(Ass)
Blair Waldorf is always badass. No, she doesn't literally kick butt like Elle on Heroes and she doesn't knit wicked gun cozies like Emerson on Pushing Daisies, but she proves week after week that she is one of the best characters on TV right now. Leighton Meester is devilishly awesome in the role and manages to make Blair a snotty bitch that we can still sympathize with. Even her bulimia storyline this week seemed fresh and interesting, so well done. Good writing is necessary, but it takes a good actress to make it work.
So this week Heroes blessed us with Sylar sans shirt instead of Peter. I love to see Sylar be truly evil, and Zachary Quinto is very easy on the eyes, but he just doesn't do it for me. Maybe because even before he was cast as Spock, he was Spock-ish to me. But at least the show is maintaining a strong sense of continuity by giving us a pretty, half-nekkid boy dripping wet. When will this happen for Adam "Kensai" Monroe? Ahem, as for the episode's actual events, HRG is alive and pissed! Claire is grieving and pissed! Elle stalks with sarcasm! Mohinder has a cure for Niki! Monica is in trouuuble! Adam is eeeevil! Peter is misguided! And most importantly, Alejandro is D-E-A-D! Farewell Tears-for-Fears Twins; now we just have Tears-for-Fears Maya in the wicked hands of her sweet Gabriel. Aw, Sylar, be gentle when you use her in your heinous plans. Awesome. At least it looks like Volume Two will end with a bang and not the whimper that fans once feared.
30 Rock. I will so miss this show; I've grown to really love it. I laughed so much at Jack and Tracy's Knuckle Beach Little League storyline that I think I burned off my pie from Pushing Daisies' night. I even laugh at almost all of Tracy Jordan's lines, and that astounds me. Tina Fey is badass. I want to be her when I grow up.
The Ugly
"Seven, did you lose that virginity yet?" Grrrrr, when is the Mini-Mart Murder storyline going to end on Friday Night Lights? I thought it might wrap this week, but I'm okay with that, actually, because it means less time focused next week on Saracen's sexxxy story. HATE. So when Tim Riggins asked Seven about his virtue at practice, I figured Chekhov's gun just went bang and Saracen would definitely bang Helllllo Nurse! I absolutely adore Matt Saracen. His cute little stammers, innocent bright-eyed outlook, and incredibly mature sense of responsibility, le sigh. Even when he made his speech to Carlotta about why he dumped the new cheerleader, I thought "I heart Saracen." But then lonely Carlotta jumped him and Saracen's virginity is predictably tossed out the window with his Hanes t-shirt. HATE. Come on, writers! Why the rehashed soap opera bull? This is the show about a football team that's not about football. It's about people handling realistic obstacles in their small town lives. Coach and Tami, real. Saracen bedding the "exotic" live-in, unreal. Eh, maybe Saracen can get advice from Riggins this time instead of Smash. Since he had an affair with an older woman. Last season. Remember? I wish I didn't.
I didn't really enjoy Pushing Daisies this week. It just left me feeling kind of meh. Maybe because I am not a fan of Molly Shannon, although I have enjoyed her sitcom guest spots on Will & Grace and Scrubs, and I did love the homage to The Birds this week. I also didn't like the Lars and the Real Girl mystery of the week, and still really don't feel the Ned-Chuck connection. But my real problem is what has happened to Chuck's wardrobe. Maybe she's in a seventies phase, but what was up with that hat and blue tinted John Lennon glasses? Although all of the clothes had a very 70s feel (I spied so much polyester in the MOTW) this episode. I'm just not digging it. And for some reason, when I don't like Chuck's wardrobe, I like Chuck even less.
Strike Links
So, LA Weekly's Nikki Finke got everyone's hopes up this week with rumors that things looked up with negotiations. It turns out she was off the mark. Well, she did say it was rumor even though the source is often reliable. And she is often more accurate than the trades, so I still consider her the best source of info. Things could get worse this week after the WGA responds to the new Partnership proposal that doesn't really sound all that new and calls for rollbacks. Way to go, AMPTP. At least they're talking, right?
In other news, Carson Daly is a tool; Conan O'Brien rocks socks. No, wait, that's not news. What I find interesting is that Carson claims that if he didn't go back to work, he would lose his show. Because of his contract, blah, blah, laughtrackcakes. Does anyone miss his show? Will a dip in ratings be noticeable? I've never, not once, laughed at a "joke" he has told, monologue or not. And his interviews suck worse than Leno's. So, maybe coming back is a good thing because it might mean his show is canceled. It hasn't been watchable since Bob Costas left anyway.
Last night while watching Chuck and Heroes, basking in new programming while I still can, I caught at least one promo for NBC's brand spankin' new show, American Gladiators. What? Oh, right, it's not new new; it's revamped. Better than new. If you say so, NBC. Did you see the first version?
I remember reading a call for PAs not long ago for American Gladiators and wondering (a) why this show was being brought back to life and (b) how that gig would really bite and/or be a story to tell. I completely forgot that Laila Ali would host, which I guess she can thank her stint on Dancing With the Stars for (Ian Ziering is doubling his daily self-tanner in case Double Dare calls). And Hulk Hogan will co-host. Well, he does need to increase the cash flow with looming alimony payments that will keep Linda in mascara and puppy massage therapists (damn you, VH1!).
My point? This is what we have to look forward to if the WGA strike continues for months and months. The sad thing is NBC obviously had this one in the works. The strike may have inspired execs to push production earlier this fall (I'm guessing it was slated for summer), but it was still developed before a strike was certain. So AG actually had more thought behind it then a spring filler show will most likely have. That's scarier than Bret Michaels without his bandana. We can look forward to worse programming than a revival of a crappy '90s competitive "gameshow" that originally appeared in weekend syndication with the objective of civilians trying to best Chippendale Gladiators using giant Q-tips while on a balance beam (or so I heard, ahem). Now that's quality, NBC. The more you know. The less I want to?
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Mine was completely different this year. No cooking, no cleaning. The drama only took place on the big screen. American Gangster followed by No Country for Old Men, bucket of popcorn, Milk Duds, and a giant soda. Best. Thanksgiving. Ever.
Well, this will be short and sweet since sweeps even takes time off during Thanksgiving. It gives me more time to whip up my holiday post, but being Scrougie Grinchardson (no secret I hate winter, the holidays are like its perky cheerleaders), it won't be posted until December. Plus, I've got to catch new programming while I still can. January is going to be so bleak.
The Good
"I ain't your paps. Paps has a lady connotation." Emerson asking Olive on Pushing Daisies to puh-leeze stop referring to him as Paps, as in "what's the haps?" Thank you, E.
"Did you pack Mr. Muggles' doggie bath?" Heroes' Papa Bennet to Mama Bennet after he and West kidnapped Elle, and need to persuade Sparky to give up some info. That's right out of the Jack Bauer playbook, HRG.
This week Adam Baldwin delivered much snarky goodness on Chuck. One favorite:
Chuck: I'm in the bathroom! Is nothing sacred to you people?
Casey: Just the right to bear arms.
The Bad(Ass)
HRG. Epitome of bad-ass. They could not eliminate such an awesome character from Heroes, yet. There's just so much more to do with Noah Bennet. Fulfilled the bang-bang destiny of the painting, check. Then fixed him up with his little girl's super-blood. Holy sh*t! The epi. was so good I didn't have time to loathe West. It will be interesting to see how Volume Two wraps up with Claire thinking daddy-o is dead. Speaking of daddy issues, Hiro realized that sometimes he shouldn't change the past no matter how much it hurts to lose his father in the present, but he can use his power to his advantage. Busted, Kensai. Parkman can mold minds like dear old dad, but feels guilty about using his power to his advantage. I actually liked Elle this week. "Hey Fight Club, get a load of this." Heh. Maybe the previous episode was just overkill with the nympho imp. She's so much better being bad. Wicked + Crazzzy = Perfection. So, this week there was no shirtless Peter, but also no Maya and Alejandro. Coincidence? Maybe they're using one to distract us from the time suckage of the weepy other. Well, some of us, at least.
Why do I like Chuck more on Pushing Daisies when I like her wardrobe less? Her blossoming friendship with Olive. I know they both love the same man, who is eyes-only for Chuck, but I love their partnership for the good of the darling aunties. Although, I would appreciate if Chuck clued in Olive that cleavage isn't always a necessary daily accessory, but if it means bursting that BFF bubble, I'll deal with Chenowerth's twins as guest stars. Other awesomeness this week: scratch-n-sniff bomb, Emerson's love of pop-up books and Knit Wit magazine, Paul Reubens as Oscar, and the Darling Mermaid Darlings swim again.
The Ugly
It wasn't a wretched episode of Project Runway. Sarah Jessica Parker showed up and was actually pretty fabulous, but I'm not feeling any of the contestants yet. Yeah, yeah, only the second week, and last season it took me a while to find faves, so I'll give it time. Heidi and Tim said in every promotional interview that this is the best group of talent they've ever had. That may be true, but to me some of these supposed wannabes are already kind of established-ish designers looking for cash and publicity. Am I right? Producers already saved Elisa for the wakadoo drama factor during week one, so they better give me an underdog to root for to make up for it soon.
Strike Links
DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com exclusively hosted a series of online videos called Project Speechless over Thanksgiving weekend. Using new media to their advantage, WGA members conceived the videos featuring SAG members, a groundbreaking collaboration in the industry, including the cast of Ugly Betty. And Sean Penn, Harvey Keitel, and Holly Hunter, to name a few..
Visions of the future of Hollywood strike
AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle's humorous look into the crystal ball to see what the future will be like with no original TV programming and suck-ass movies at the box office. Pop-culture bedlam. My favorite is a January prediction: "Viewers discover that HBO's 'The Wire' is the best show on television." Well, it's a glass-quarter-full point of view, but at least The Wire might actually get the audience it deserves for the final season.
Monday the WGA and AMPTP return to the negotiating table. Because it seems to be about as logical and reasonable as the AMPTP, I decide to consult my Magic Eight Ball and ask if an agreement will be reached by 2008. Shake-shake-shake: Don't count on it. Oh well. Fingers and toes crossed it is then.
Holy crap. I haven't posted since last week's review. Suck-ass temp job. Sigh. Enough woe is leelee. Let's get to the telly.
The Good
To honor the casts suspended by the studios because of their support of the WGA strike, 30 Rock and The Office will get extra favie lines this week. I wonder how long it with take Tina Fey to whip up an episode titled "Force Majeure" when the strike ends. On with the show, first 30 Rock . . .
"That pita pocket could be a terrorist!" Liz referring to her neighbor, Raheem (the hilarious Fred Armisen), after swearing to Pete that she's not racist.
Jack: Wireless phones are just so popular, I accidentally grabbed one belonging to an acquaintance.
Liz: Well sure, cause that Verizon Wireless service is just unbeatable.
If I saw a phone like that on TV I’d be like "where is my nearest
retailer so I can get one?" (pauses to look directly into the camera) Can we have our money now?
Tina Fey
didn't just tear down the fourth wall, she smashed it with her bare
hands. And then stomped it into itty bitty pieces that
should be sold on ebay with certificates of authenticity to benefit the
striking writers.
A Dog Took My Face And Gave Me A Better Face To Change The World: The Celeste Cunningham Story. I bet that flick would steal the title of Best Lifetime Movie Ever from Mother May I Sleep with Danger. I'd trade the stellar Kristen Wiig for Tori Spelling any day.
Moving on to The Office and Kelly "Smack Talk" Kapoor . . .
"What has two skinny chicken legs and sucks at ping pong?"
"Were Jim's parents first cousins, who were also bad at ping pong?"
And my favorite, sung to Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" with a little smack-talk dance. . .
"Hey, hey, you, you. I don't like your boyfriend. Cuz, cuz, cuz, cuz. Cuz he sucks at ping pong."
Yes, there were great lines during the deposition, including a "That's what she said" joke gone delightfully wrong and Michael's XOXO diary entries about Jan and Ryan (heeee), but it was painful to watch. And a lot to transcribe, heh.
"That’s the most tragic story I have ever heard—notwithstanding the big-ticket items like genocide and famine. But tragic nonetheless." Pushing Daisies' Olive after Chuck blames allergies for why she and Ned never to touch.
"I succumbed to inebriation, performed in a speakeasy, and surrendered my virtue to a self-absorbed ass." Blair on Gossip Girl confessing her sins, even though she's not Catholic. Love her and her confession ensemble.
"I just pulled from different blogs on the internet. Mixed and matched. Presto manifesto." Dexter's voiceover explaining how he created the Bay Harbor Butcher's crackpot manifesto to lead the investigation astray.
"If I had a blog, this would be a really big day for me." Chuck after taking the deadly truth serum.
The Bad(Ass)
I love sweeps. And during sweeps one thing is certain: stunt casting!
Mercedes McNab as Lucy, a newly turned vampire, on Supernatural was gold. When I first saw her, I thought, "Harmony? Nah, they wouldn't." But then tied up in a chair, blood stained mouth, pleading with the boys to help her detox from what she thinks is a potent drug, definitely Harmony (of Buffy and Angel for those not Whedon-inclined). An entire episode of her vamping it up, too much. Five minutes to intro. the mystery, nice stunt casting, Kripke. Actually, the whole episode was an excellent return to form for the demon-hunting duo. Gordon became the monster he once hunted, even ripping out his sidekick's heart, and then was slowly decapitated with razor wire by Sam, his head popping off like a grape. Gross, gruesome, and very cool. And then a heart-to-heart ending with Dean being a big brother and teaching Sam how to keep the Impala in shape after he goes to Hell. Aw, you guys.
Joel McHale on Pushing Daisies. The Piemaker and The Soupmaker, two of my favorite shows collide. This week he made me laugh in two timeslots, even as a murdered dog breeding polygamist. My heart goes pitter patter for this show.
Kevin Weisman and Rachel Bilson on Chuck. Weisman must have had so much fun playing the spy for once. Marshall did a wicked backflip before Sarah shot him in the knee. Beats following Sophia Myles around with a camera on Moonlight. And I've missed Summer's fast-talking rambles. Bilson's quirky and cute deli-owner Lou has a shameless love of sandwiches, which I totally understand (thirty variations of the turkey sandwich and pie, best part of Thanksgiving) and a thing for Chuck, which I also totally understand. Mr. Schwartz, can we have some O.C. stunt casting on Gossip Girl? Wouldn't Autumn Reeser be the perfect van der Woodsen cousin? Any other suggestions? .
The Ugly
There was so much good on Friday Night Lights: Tyra and Lyla teaming up for Pantherama, Matt Saracen all adorable even in a sucky storyline, Buddy Garity giving shelter to Santiago (that kid, oh those puppydog eyes break my heart). And even though Julie seems to be out of her obnoxious phase, I am not thrilled with her latest storyline. A crush on the cute, young journalism teacher (Austin Nichols of John from Cincinnati). Wait, didn't they do that on 90210? Yeah, Andrea Zuckerman and Gil Meyers. No. Not on top of the Mini-Mart Murder and Saracen kissing Grandma's nurse. FNL better put a fresh, new spin on this tired tale. If not, the end could be near. Butchie says rehashed daytime drama sucks.
Moonlight was so ridiculously bad. No Coraline, no Josef, no words. One step forward, twelve steps back.
The Good, Bad(Ass), and Ugly
Few shows can pull off all three in one week. But Heroes really does go for the gold. First, the Good:
"I've lived in this building for sixteen years, ever since the shrinks diagnosed me a sociopath with paranoid delusions. But they’re just out to get me cause I threatened to kill them." Elle on Heroes. Kristen Bell nailed that monologue.
I really enjoyed this flashback-esque episode of Heroes. I appreciate when questions are answered, mysteries solved (lookin at you, Lindelof and Cuse). I adored that about Rob Thomas—all was resolved and within a reasonable amount of time. So much crammed into one tiny hour, so many answers and details dished out. It was pretty bad-ass.
So my problem? Elle grated my last nerve. I think KB is doing the best she can with the little sociopath. I know that Elle doesn't understand boundaries, and Milo is quite a tasty treat. But, sparky, quit petting Peter. He's not a Jack Russell terrier. That tiny blonde one actually did annoy me with the touching. I hope she dials down the nympho imp and turns up the wicked wacko. Although, I must thank her for cutting the emo bangs. (I did lurve how they worked Milo out of his shirt this week. All to explain how he ended up in that shipping container, so not exactly a new shirtless scene, heh.) Also, although I understand the life lesson of DL being killed by a random skeezoid, and not dying as the result of heroic act using his powers, he deserved a better death scene then that.
Strike links
Saturday Night Live staged amid strike
Members of the cast put on a two-hour show at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater in NYC, complete with Yo La Tengo as musical guest and Michael Cera taking on hosting duties. Wow, I am Kermit-green with envy (and anyone who can catch an ASSSSCAT show in L.A. or NYC, go!). All proceeds go to staffers out of work by the strike. On Monday, the cast of 30 Rock will stage a performance too.
Pencils2MediaMoguls campaign
United Hollywood has details about a new fan support campaign to send pencils to the powers-that-be. I'm not a huge fan of these campaigns, but it is a symbolic sign of support, so if you want to learn more, follow the link.
Film, TV writers set negotiations date
They're going back to the negotiating table! On Nov. 26, the WGA and AMPTP will sit down and start talks again. Negotiations are going to be rough and an agreement won't be reached over night, but at least they're back at the bargaining table.
Writers are winning over the public
Variety reports about the support writers have received. IATSE president, Thomas Short, has an interesting perspective on negotiations, and what it will do to the thousands of below-the-line crew members who belong to his union..
This week, Pushing Daisies was bumped by the CMAs. I missed Chuck and Supernatural thanks to technical difficulties. Thursday was interrupted, so I didn't get my full funny on (only sitcoms I watch). So, this is kind of like what it will be for me as shows begin to run out of new episodes because of the strike.
The Good
“Apparently my new life involves a love triangle. I’m that guy. The voices are back. Excellent.” Dexter's voiceover post-phone call from Rita after his afternoon delight with Lila. Like Dex doesn’t have enough on his mind already.
"Look how Greenzo's testing. They love him in every demographic: colored people, broads, fairies, commies...gosh we've got to update these forms." Jack on 30 Rock.
"Yes, Phyllis called me Michael. And I will always and forever be haunted by that fact." The Office's Jim
This is not the best
line of Friday Night Lights, but I love Kyle Chandler and
Connie Britton’s chemistry and delivery:
Tammi: Honey, are you
jealous?
Coach: I'm not jealous.
Tammi: That is adorable . . . you're jealous!
Coach: You like that?
The Bad(Ass)
This week, the Bad(Ass) watchword is Revenge.
Gossip Girl's Blair Waldorf. "You go, baby
vamp!" Leighton Meester is making the most of her time on the UES (while wearing a Heather Chandler bow). I still love to hate Chuck “my hobby is date-rape” Bass, but he and Blair sizzled.
I can't wait to see what drama they inflict on each other. I don’t think Blair pounced on Chuck just to get back at Nate, more like a
lethal combination of alcohol and raging hormones, but it sure will sting when Nate finds out. And he will. Eh, my NateHate lives on.
Heroes finally kicked some primetime butt this week. It was interesting and held my attention. Highlights for me: after a nekkid hazmat wash (how will they get Milo’s shirt off next? Stay tuned!), Peter’s memory started to return with a visit from mom. He then leaped back to the present, leaving poor Caitlin in the dank, dismal future. That sucks, buh-bye. Stalker Flyboy thinks Claire is part of a conspiracy when he finds out her dad is HRG. Okay, see ya. Maury screws with Niki’s noggin so she injects herself the virus. Parkman frees Molly from the room where even the wallpaper was a nightmare by taking down his dad. Hiro ensures that "Kensei the Hero" lives on in legend and catches up with Ando. Finally. Kensei somehow survived the smoky showdown and is now Adam Monroe, seeking revenge against Hiro and the Company by killing them and "saving" the world. Meet his partner, Peter Petrelli. Yowser. David Anders now has a role more devilish than Sark: a walking god-complex with a side of smirking sociopath. This face, right here, my over-the-moon face. Please, let wicked Adam have scenes with eeevil Elle.
David Schwimmer on 30 Rock. Schwimmer made me laugh. A lot. That's kind of revenge since I thought he couldn't possibly make me giggle, don't think that's happened since season four of Friends. No, season three? I've blocked out most of that show (and yet, I still remember the boys' TV Guide was addressed to Chnandler Bong). Just shows you what can happen when good writing meets seasoned comedic timing.
***************
So with my limited TV this week, maybe that's why Moonlight is
not Ugly, although it’s nowhere near Bad(Ass) either. I’m giving it
an Improvement, Like Whoa honorable mention. For
the second week in a row, I didn’t fast forward and the eye rolls decreased to at fewer than five. Still not stellar, but not utter crap. Alex O’Laughlin has
settled into playing Mick like he was a new pair of jeans that he needed to wear a few times
before becoming comfy. Having Jason Dohring's Josef be a part of the mysteries, and then grudgingly sidekick
it with Mick this week was such good fun. More please. The highlight was actually Shannyn
Sossamon as Coraline/Morgan. I’ve never been a huge fan, but she's a nice addition to round out the cast. Now Coraline's back, she seems to be human, and she obviously wants . . .dun dun duuun. . .revenge.
The Ugly
Where are they going with the Mini-Mart Murder storyline on Friday Night Lights? Now Landry’s dad, Officer Clarke, is destroying evidence without even getting the whole story from
him. I thought he might be taking Landry to the station to turn the car over, get the whole story, a confession, you know, what an officer of the law would most likely do. But station wagon flambé? If detectives at your station have a DMV list for cars in the area that
could match the carpet fibers found on the dead guy, it probably includes
names of owners. Landry’s wagon suddenly
disappearing, not suspicious at all. (Aaron from 24 shakes his head in disappointment). Just stop it, please.
Strike Links
In honor of the writers who created all of the shows I just blabbered about, here are a few links I came across today:
Susan Savage: Shut down this town? An actress, blogger, and WGA picketer, Savage adds her educated take on producers' strategies (basically, this is like cleaning house for them) and the negotiating struggle the writers have before them.
Strike rewrites rules in Hollywood About options the studios are looking to for substitute programming during the strike. Includes a suggestion made about recruiting ambitious students from USC. Huh, well if you don't mind not having a career after the strike, go ahead, scab away. Geez, even networking on a picket line is a huge no-no.
Creative Screenwriting published some great articles in its weekly newsletter, CS Weekly. When I looked on Saturday, the stories weren't archived on the site yet, so I can't link to them, but I will once they are published (or maybe quote parts of them here). If you get the newsie, make sure to check it out.
On Friday, 4,000 picketers gathered in front of Fox Corp. in what the WGA says is the largest mobilization in the history of the guild. WGA President Patric M. Verrone was there to rally supporters.
It was a huge day for strikers. Zach de la Rocha and Tom Morello kicked off the rally with pro-union tunes. Avenue of the Stars was completely blocked and shut down. Even Jesse Jackson showed up to offer his support.Two years ago, we started this campaign by looking for leadership from our members. What we found was a membership of leaders,” Verrone told the cheering crowd.
- Check out the official details at WGA Contract 2007: The Latest Word -- Negotiation Updates
- L.A. Weekly's Nikki Finke promised to add photos from the rally and any new scoop she receives to her blog over the weekend. She really does have the low down on negotiations.
- United Hollywood has updates, news, stories, and photos from the trenches, brought to you by strike captains.
Also, in an interesting turn of events, agents from William Morris, ICM, CAA, UTA, and Endeavor met with WGA leaders to find out how they can help the guild. Well, they do know how to bargain and broker deals, and reaching an agreement is in their best interest too, so this isn't a completely selfless act (no worries, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse didn't show up at the Fox rally too). Talent agencies also sent bands of assistants to the streets with snacks for protesters. Ordinarily, it might be wise to be suspicious of agents, or agents' assistants, who come bearing gifts, but bagels and power bars for the writers are harmless and helpful. It's not like they're giving carbs to SAG members.
Entertainment Weekly: Heroes' Creator Apologizes to Fans
You know all those issues on Heroes that fans have been griping about? Tales from the Boring Side. The Tears-for-Fears Twins. Hiro and Kensei's Not-So-Excellent Adventure. West flying Claire to One Tree Hill. Well, showrunner Tim Kring sends his apologies (from the picket line!) by way of EW for mistakes made in season two, especially pacing and how new characters were introduced.
Wow. I almost dropped my copy of EW when I read this article today.Has a showrunner ever publicly owned up to so many errors in storytelling judgment, and on top of that, apologized for them? Gotta respect that. It took a lot to finally hook me last season, so I've been very close to pushing Heroes back to "casual viewing" status. It's no secret Kristen Bell was the reason I stuck around until episode five; David Anders couldn't even distract me from the sluggish storylines. But this week's stellar episode definitely drew me back for sweeps. It's good to know the staff aims to return to form creatively. Bigger news is the plan for the end of the season now that the WGA is on strike.
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The Dec. 3 episode has been retooled to function as a potential season finale — a move inspired by the writers' strike and a desire to give the show ''a clean slate'' when it goes back into production for Volume 3. At that point, Kring wants to craft a rebooted Heroes that can attract new fans and win back those who've tuned out: ''The message is that we've heard the complaints — and we're doing something about it.''
Just then, the chant switched to “No money, no funny,” a reminder that many of the people on the picket line in New York make their living writing for the various talk/comedy shows.
Ms. Sherman-Palladino continued, “I was telling my husband” — Daniel Pallidino, her writing partner on the new Fox show and on “Gilmore Girls,” and a fellow picketer — “that we need some new and better chants, but he reminded me: ‘No writing. None.’ “ [New York Times]
The WGA Strike has thrown me for a blogging loop. I mostly blog about TV, but doing so sorta, kinda supports producers--even if only a handful read this blog, it still contains links and info. about the shows writers have had to walk away from, at least until repeats start. So I could stop blogging about TV or movies as a sign of support, which would pretty much mean I stop blogging. But I want to post about the strike, even though I am far, far away from it. And WGA members may not be writing scripts, but they are blogging strike updates.
The Internet has changed the way the world learns about this strike. Columnists and news sites update daily on events. Writers breathe life into their strike stories on blogs. Even though the guild's members are not supposed to address the media during negotiations (explains why we keep seeing Jay Leno deliver Krispy Kremes on the news, although I'd rather have Jimmy Kimmel's Loteria snacks), they can take their cause to their own sites. Kind of ironic since stalled negotiations about new media residuals are what caused the strike. Maybe the studios will realize the power of the Internet after all.
I must admit that I've been fascinated with this industry since I was a kid. The behind-the-scenes aspects are as interesting to me as what actually ends up on screen, sometimes more because so much drama occurs off-camera. I also have worked in film production, on location for studio and independent flicks. My experiences have taught me a lot about that wackadoo business, and yet, I still have so much to learn. But that won't happen while there's a strike.
So, I've been following the strike talk since last spring. I support the writers' stance that new media negotiations are crucial for the guild's future. But the work stoppage is still troublesome. The sooner the AMPTP and WGA agree, the better it will be for everyone. I can't help but think of below-the-line crew, or junior staffers. Folks who don't make big bucks (working insane hours at the low end of the payscale) still have to make rent. But the support of other industry unions is key. Not just SAG, which could strike next June, but, for example, the Hollywood Teamsters (Local 399). It doesn't matter if studios stockpile scripts, without key departments like transpo. and locations, production is not possible. Oh, and that includes chef drivers, so no soy chai lattes from craft service either.
Some strike-related sites to check out:
- United Hollywood: We are all on the same page A strike blog updated daily by a few WGA members.
- Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily L.A. Weekly's Finke covers the down-and-dirty politics of show business in her column and blog.
- JohnAugust.com One of my favorite blogs, screenwriter/director John August posts his views from the picket line.
- Jane in Progress Whedon alum Jane Espenson offers ideas in her TV-writing blog for how those not in L.A. or NYC can support the writers.
- Writers Guild of America, West Well, that's self-explanatory.
- Defamer.com The best place for industry snark, Hollywood Strikewatch posts are updated daily with info. including news stories, reader updates, and good ol' picket line gossip (check out Reno's finest, Lt. Dangle and Junior, on the picket line, heh).
- For kicks and giggles, need another reason to justify complete and utter adoration of Jon Stewart? Here you go. Another? Okay, fine. This can go on all day, you know.
My little laptop is no longer out of order. And it's almost as good as new. I couldn't image my damaged drive so I started with a clean slate. I successfully installed my new hard drive all on my own (rock on!). I successfully installed Windows (boo ya!). I would have successfully installed all of the drivers if the resource CDs had actually contained (a) the correct drivers and (b) all of the drivers I needed (son of a biscuit eater!). You can download the drivers for your laptop from the Web site with your service tag. Not if I can't access the Internet, support dude. (Is it sad that I know my service tag by heart now?) Okay, so maybe I should've downloaded them to my new BFF, Maxtor of the External Hard Drives, before I started the install but I thought my new shiny resource CDs would do the trick. Rookie. Thanks to my friends, Mia and Kurt, who let me hijack their computer and high-speed connection, I was able to download all and put Maxtor to work.
And here I am, back on the Wide World of Webs. I still have much to install and update, but at least I have access to the net. Soon I will join the blogging race again and comment on things like the WGA strike (with the Hollywood Teamsters supporting the L.A. writers, I'd love to know how producers think they can get around not having transpo, locations, and craft service for shows that don't "need" writers to go on, stockpiled scripts be damned). and the new and interesting ways Heroes manages to work Milo Ventimiglia sans shirt into an episode (last night's David Anders ending, hell yeah!).
