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Has there ever been a time when you’re watching your favorite television show and then an amazing song starts playing during a crucial and pivotal scene and suddenly you are clamoring, trying to find out who sings it and how fast you can get it on your iPod? I have been there and done that so many times that I’ve lost count. Before the iPod was invented a big part of my CD collection had songs that had once been played behind some of my beloved and most memorable moments. These are my picks for my favorite “musical” moments on television.
Dawson’s Creek, Season one finale - “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain: How could anyone forget the moment when Joey finally decided that she was going to fess up about her feelings towards her best friend, Dawson? She climbed up the ladder to his room and saw Dawson lying in bed with Jen. It was the moment that had been building the entire season. Was Dawson going to go after Joey or stay with Jen? Edwin McCain’s song was perfect for this scene. I remember hearing it and immediately falling in love with it. To this day when I hear “I’ll Be” I still think of that episode.
Smallville, Season one, “Obscura” and “Crush” – “No Such Thing” by John Mayer and “Time after Time” by Eva Cassidy: I think one of the reasons why I fell in love with Smallville in the beginning of the series was because of all the fantastic music they featured in each episode. Yeah, whatever happened to that? These two episodes in season one were two of my favorites. The Cyndi Lauper classic covered by Eva Cassidy was the perfect backdrop for setting the scene as Lana stared at Clark standing in the rain waiting for her, while a heartbroken Chloe watched on. A wet Tom Welling was only the icing on the cake. The song made it even more amazing. And John Mayer’s hit still brings me back to when Clark asked Chloe to the Spring Formal. It completely captured the mood of two people taking the next step in their relationship.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season one, “Angel”- “I’ll Remember You” by Sophie Zelmani: Buffy and Angel’s long-awaited first kiss couldn’t have had a better song to accompany it. The Bronze always had some great music playing but this one topped my list. I loved that the whole song was played and the last shot we saw was Angel’s chest where Buffy’s cross burned him after they kissed. It was the beginning of a great love story.
Supernatural, Season one, “Carry on my Wayward Son” by Kansas: Okay, I was tempted to put every Supernatural “previously on” on this list but I narrowed it down to this one. Not only is this an amazing song but it completely fits Supernatural to a tee. The lyrics only rang truer coming after the episode when Sam was stabbed and killed. This song has really become a Supernatural anthem.
Those are my some of my picks for my favorite musical moments. There are so many that I can’t fit it into one column. Let me know some of your faves in the comments!
Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.
In honor of Valentine’s Day this Saturday, I decided that this would be the best time to make my list of television’s best and most memorable couples. There have been so many couples over the years that have left an impact on viewers so it was definitely a task to narrow it down. Whether these duos are breaking up, making up, or fighting to the death one cannot deny the sparks that fly in the process.
Buffy and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): These two were the definition of “star-crossed lovers”. A vampire in love with the Slayer, like Giles once said, “It’s rather poetic.” This couple had everything against them. He was more than 100-years old, and she was a high school student. Not to mention that she killed his species for a living. His basic instinct was to kill her, but instead he fell in love with her. Their story was filled with love and hate, but we never stopped rooting for them. Even when he turned evil and, she was going to kill him, we still hoped they would find a way back to each other. They did, for a while, but like any “star-crossed” couple they split apart. Buffy and Angel’s love story was one of the highlights of the series and deserve the top spot on this list.
Ross and Rachel (Friends): The fans only waited 10 years for these two to finally wake up and realize they belonged together. They had many trials and tribulations in their often-rocky relationship (remember the “we were on a break” debacle?), but they never stopped caring about each other. They were still friends, after all they had been through. Their first kiss at Central Perk is one of those memorable moments in TV history that fans will certainly never forget.
Jack/Kate/Sawyer (Lost): Okay, so I couldn’t choose which pair was better. The truth is that both men have amazing chemistry with Kate. I’m sure there are fans out there who could choose with no problem about which pair they would rather watch onscreen. I think the appeal of these two men with Kate is that they both have a very different type of relationship with her. Jack makes Kate a better person when she’s with him. He helped her through the weirdness that is the island. On many occasions he has been a source of strength for her. Sawyer and Kate have this amazing connection and sizzling attraction. Also, when they are together we get to see a softer side to Sawyer, which is always a nice thing to see.
These are my choices of the best couples of TV past and present. Which couples would make your list? Happy Valentine’s Day!
Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.
Last week I was invited to a conference call with one of my favorite TV writers: Joss Whedon.
Pinch me.
Yes, that Joss Whedon, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly fame.
Whedon was, of course, funny. Anyone familiar with his writing knows he can turn a phrase so quickly and so humorously that you’re laughing before you realize just how clever he really is.
Whedon participated in the call to speak to journalists about his new TV show Dollhouse, premiering on FOX Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
Dollhouse is set in a futuristic laboratory where the residents are implanted with memories and skills and then assigned various tasks and personas, only to have their memories erased upon the completion of their assignments. They can become anyone. The show centers on Echo, actress Eliza Dushku, (Faith of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.) Echo is beginning to realize who she is and what’s going on.
Here’s a quick recap of the interview. You have to love a guy who can use the words “enounce” and “amorphous” in the same sentence. (See the paragraph where he discusses the genesis of the show.)
Comparing Dollhouse to Whedon’s former shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. Whedon: “There is a lot of fun and a lot of humor in it. What it doesn’t have is an inherent silliness that both Buffy and Firefly had, and even Angel. That was we could just take one step back, that part of the fun was deconstructing the genre we were in. This has to be a little bit more grounded in order for it to play, or it would become campy, and with vampires and spaceships and horses, we had more leeway to be a little less realistic in how we plotted things. But humor is a part of the show all over the place, because we have really funny actors, and these situations do become absurd, and besides, we would get really bored if we didn’t.”
On rewriting the Dollhouse pilot to make the network happier: Whedon: “Part of the mandate of the show is to make people nervous. It’s to make them identify with people they don’t like and get into situations that they don’t approve of, and also look at some of the heroic side of things and wonder if maybe they were wrong about what motivated those as well. So we’re out to make people uncomfortable, but not maybe so much our bosses…. We had all of the elements, the characters, none of which were changed really, and none of the regular characters, and the premise, the concept, the way we were able to explore what makes us human, all of that is in there. As the season progresses, it ends up going exactly where I had hoped it would go before all of this happened, so I do feel like we got back to our vision in a way that really works for the network. And the last few episodes that we just completed shooting got all of us extraordinarily excited.” On the Friday night time slot Whedon: “Honestly, I really do see the opportunity there because the deal with the Friday night time slot was you don’t come out, bang, opening weekend, and it’s all decided. It’s about growing a fan base, both for Dollhouse and Terminator. I think Terminator is a remarkably good show, and the kind of show that makes sense to be paired with Dollhouse, so I feel great about that, plus I get to see all these posters with Summer (Glau) and Eliza together and that’s just too cool. Ultimately, this is a show where people will hopefully become intrigued and then hang in, that really builds, so it needs the 13 weeks, and it needs the 13 weeks of people paying attention, but not so much attention that it gets burned out in the glare of the spotlight. I’ve always worked best under the radar. Most of my shows people have come to after they stopped airing, but I would like to buck that trend, and at the same time, it is part of how I work that you stay with it and it grows on you and it becomes family, and the Friday night is a much better place for that to actually happen.”
On whether he’ll do any of his trademark unique ideas such as having an episode where no one speaks (Buffy), an episode of puppets (Angel) or an all musical episode (Buffy.) Whedon: “Most of the things I think have been done at some point, and we don’t think it’s done for their own sakes, but one of the exciting things about the show, one of the reasons why we’re excited to have more runs at it is that you can really come at these stories from a lot of different perspectives; from the perspective of a client, from the perspective, as we do in episode six, from the man on the street, from the perspective of obviously Echo or any of the dolls or the people who are running it. But I don’t have anything specific in mind, and no, I’m not planning a Dollhouse musical just yet.”
Commenting on episode two of Dollhouse and why it wasn’t used as the pilot. (I won’t spoil you but the concept is a bit “outrageous.”) Whedon: “Outrageous is always good. That episode was meant originally to be around episode five, or possibly even eight, and it was the network who said, excuse me, did you say bow hunting? That will come second please, because we already had the pilot working, so it kind of got bumped up further than, but you’re not the first person to say why didn’t you just open with that, and my answer would be I don’t know. I had the other idea first.”
On the genesis of the show and how it began with a lunch with Eliza Dushku Whedon: “I’m very interested in concepts of identity, what enounce is our own, what’s socialized, can people actually change, what do we expect from each other, how much do we use each other and manipulate each other, and what would we do if we had this kind of power over each other? And in this, our increasingly virtual world, self-definition has become a very amorphous concept, so it just felt what was on my mind. I don’t mean it felt timely like I was trolling the papers looking for something timely. It’s just been something I think about a lot.”
On Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku Whedon: “She’s overcome her homely shyness over these years. Eliza is, apart from being, in my opinion, as great a star as I have ever known; she has a genuinely powerful electric and luminous quality that I’ve rarely seen. She’s also a really solid person. She’s a good friend. She’s a feminist. She’s an activist. She’s interested in the people around her. She has a lot of different things going on, and I’ve watched her over the years, as a friend, try to take control of her career, and try to get the roles that weren’t available to her, and protect the ethos and the message of what it was that she was doing, and I respect that enormously. Being part of that progression is, for me, one of the greatest benefits of this show.”
Dollhouse premieres this Friday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.
The genius who brought us one of television’s best musicals, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Once More With Feeling, is bringing a new musical to a computer screen near you.
Yes, I said computer screen.
Whedon has masterminded a new musical comedy “Internet miniseries event” starring two of my favorite TV guys: Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. And I've got a sneak peek for you right here. Just click play below.
The series debuts Tuesday, July 15, with act one, followed by act two, Thursday, July 17th, and act three on Saturday July 19. All acts will stay up until midnight Sunday, July 20th, according to the Dr. Horrible Web site.
The series is free for now and only available on the Internet at this point, but with aspirations to eventually make its way to DVD.
TV Guide’sMatt Roush has seen a sneak peek of the series and is already raving. I’m sure I will be, too.
Is there anything better than a singing Harris and a villainous Fillion? Nope.
Here’s how Whedon described this new project that he apparently got involved in during the writer’s strike:
“The idea was to make it on the fly, on the cheap – but to make it. To turn out a really thrilling, professionalish piece of entertainment specifically for the Internet, another way,” Whedon said. “To give the public (and in particular you guys) something for all your support and patience. And to make a lot of silly jokes. Actually, that sentence probably should have come first.” I hope Whedon is ready for the onslaught of hits his Web site is about to get on July 15. Seriously, it’s been years, and I still can’t get his last musical effort out of my mind. “Life’s a show and we all play a part…”
Evil, cunning, manipulative, and powerful. These are all traits that I expect to see in my TV villains. Which ones do I consider simply the best? Better than all the rest? (Ok, you knew that was coming!) Here are my choices for the best villains of TV shows past and present. Agree or disagree, these people scare the daylights out of me.
Benjamin “Benry” Linus,Lost : The eyes alone would scare anyone. Ben has the ability to look at someone and see right through them. He uses the person’s weakness against them to his own advantage. He has been manipulating our Losties since he came on our screens. He has gotten Michael to become a murderer, and I think he may have set up the Alex, Carl and Rousseau ambush. I know he’s evil, but I can never tell if he’s telling the truth. That’s how good he is.
Lex Luthor,Smallville : He didn’t start off as the criminal mastermind we all know and love, but Lex is certainly reaching that dark destination. This season the character has really made his leap into becoming Superman’s arch nemesis. He has already reached the point where he has killed innocent people (Dr. Swann’s daughter, Patricia) just to get what he want, only one of the final steps until he makes his descent into being the ultimate villain. I love some evil Lex and no one has played it better than Michael Rosenbaum. He is by far my favorite Lex Luthor out of all the other incarnations.
Angelus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Angel lost his soul and became psychotic Angelus in season two of Buffy. I don’t think I was the only one who was hiding my eyes when he chased poor Jenny Calendar through the hallways of Sunnydale High. What he did after that was even more disturbing. He was the epitome of pure evil, the king of the lurking in the bushes and watching his victims fall apart. Creepy!
Sylar, Heroes: He cuts open peoples’ heads…’nuff said.
Wilhelmina Slater,Ugly Betty: She hasn’t killed anyone, yet. But she has stolen a dead man’s sperm to produce an heir. She’s intimidating, threatening and could make a grown man cry. She’s a completely different kind of villain, but that doesn’t make her any less enjoyable to watch.
Those are my picks for favorite baddies of the tube. Let me know if you think I missed one that should have made my list. ‘Till next week!
Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.
For those of you who couldn’t score a ticket to the highly anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion at the Paley television festival in Los Angeles last week, I’ve got you covered.
No, I couldn’t attend either, but I have a few blogger friends and fellow TV critics that did.
The first big news was that despite being on the attendee list, Alyson Hannigan and Eliza Dushku didn’t make it. Sorry, Willow and Faith fans.
The other big news is that despite not being on the attendee list, David Boreanaz didn’t do his much-talked-about taped video for the panel. Did Angel lose his soul again? That’s the only reason I can think of that explains why Boreanaz wouldn’t take a few minutes to tape a message to say hi to the millions of fans and his former cast mates that helped jumpstart his career. Yes, I’m a little bitter.
For those of you who want to see some of the Buffy panel, check out the Paley Web site, that features video highlights of the event. It’s good stuff. Why the Paley folks didn’t do a live streaming video of this event is bewildering. Instead, they chose to do that for the Gossip Girl panel. Huh?
From all my discussions with those “in the know,” the Buffy event was the most popular panel in recent years and sold out faster than Spike could transform into his fang face. But, instead, they chose Gossip Girl to stream live. Yes, that makes sense. I’m still on the bitter pill.
Meanwhile, for those of you who want to live vicariously, here’s a roundup of some of the most detailed recaps of the Buffy reunion from fellow TV critics and bloggers. Enjoy.
TV Guide is reporting that the annual Paley Television Festival has just added 11 more TV panels to its already fantastic 2008 lineup.
Bones, Moonlight, The View, Kyle XY, Greek, and The Young and the Restless are just a few of the shows joining a second part of the festival, kicking off on March 28, according to the TV Guide Web site. The first part of the festival runs March 14-27.
This is the best lineup I’ve ever seen for Paley Festival. Can you imagine any other event where the casts of Friday Night Lights, (yes, even my beloved Kyle Chandler), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (my beloved Sarah Michelle Gellar and James Marsters) and the casts of Bones, Moonlight and Pushing Daisies all come together? And that’s not even the half of it.
After seeing this breaking news about the addition of Bones, I couldn’t help but wonder now if David Boreanaz will join the Buffy reunion. It was previously reported that Boreanaz could not join his former cast mates due to a family commitment, but was planning a taped message. Now that his new show, Bones, is included in a panel, perhaps he’ll show up with the rest of the Scoobies to reminisce about all things Buffy? Hey, a girl can dream right?
If you don’t already have a ticket to the Buffy panel, good luck in getting one. It’s sold out. So is the Pushing Daisies panel. I’m hoping (OK praying and considering bribing someone) to post the Buffy, Friday Night Lights, Bones, Moonlight, and Pushing Daisies panels on You Tube for all of us who cannot attend.
Tickets for the second part of the festival featuring Bones, Moonlight, and more go on sale March 14.
For more information and a complete lineup of shows and casts attending, visit the Paley Festival site.
The cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer - even star Sarah Michelle Gellar - will be participating in a panel discussion at the William S. Paley Television Festival on March 14-27 in Los Angeles.
Other Buffy cast members on board for the reunion include Nicholas Brendan (Xander), James Marsters (Spike), Seth Green (Oz), Eliza Dushku (Faith), Amber Benson (Tara), Emma Caulfield (Anya) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn). And Mr. Brilliance himself, Grrr..Argh creator Joss Whedon, will be there as well.
The Buffy reunion alone is reason enough to buy a ticket. But if you want more, you’ve got it. I think this may be the best lineup for the Paley Festival that I’ve ever seen. Many of my favorite stars will be there such as Matt, Landry and Julie from Friday Nigh Lights, my beloved Olive and Ned, from Pushing Daisies; Nate, Serena, Blair and Dan from Gossip Girl and Tom and Samantha from Dancing With the Stars.
Other panels include Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, Damages, Mad Men and The Comedy World of Judd Apatow and Friends.
Tickets for the general public are $60 and $45 per event.
Former vampire slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar is considering a return to television, according to E!Online’s scoop diva Kristin Dos Santos.
Gellar is allegedly not happy with the movie scripts she’s been receiving. I can’t blame her. Most of the movies I watched this year weren’t worth the rental fee. (Superbad and Chuck and Larry, I’m talking to you.) Perhaps Gellar realized that all those horror flicks and Scooby Doo sequels don’t come close to rivaling the incredible storytelling occurring on television right now.
Gellar is rumored to be looking at a new Darren Star production. Yes, that Darren Star, of Melrose Place fame. I’m salivating at the thought of it.
Also, if you haven’t heard, Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku are also returning to television in a new drama called Dollhouse.
If you’re like me and can’t bear to sit through The Annual Dog Show this Thanksgiving then I have something for you.
I have put together a list of my top favorite Thanksgiving episodes of TV shows, past and present. So before, during or after you all have eaten some turkey with cranberry, check out these episodes.
Friends, Season Eight. “The One with the Rumor”: Or as I like to call it, “The One with Brad Pitt.” I have lost count on how many times I’ve watched this episode. It never gets old to me. It’s still as funny as the first time I watched it. Ah, before Brangelina. It seems like a lifetime ago. Between Rachel’s “teeny-weenie” and Joey’s Thanksgiving pants, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to burn off that extra piece of cheesecake.
The O.C, Season One. “The Homecoming”: Season one, The Golden Age of the series. This was the episode that showcased the hilarity of Seth Cohen at its best. His constant prevention of having his mother cook to his secret rendezvous sessions with both Summer and Anna are just some of the highlights. Then when the girls caught on to what was really going on…holy awkward! The Cohen house was definitely eventful that Thanksgiving. This one is not to be missed.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season Four. “Pangs”: Angel returned, Xander had syphilis, Spike was tied to a chair, and did I mention Angel returned? This was part of the greatly missed Buffy/Angel crossover events that The WB always liked to do. Oh, the good ol’ days. All Buffy wanted was a nice Thanksgiving dinner and she ended up having to battle a Chumash tribe all before their first slice of turkey. How hysterical was it when Xander, Anya and Willow had to come peddling to her rescue on bicycles? Season four wasn’t my favorite but this episode stood out among the pack.
Ugly Betty, Season One. “Four Thanksgivings and a Funeral”: How can anyone forget Marc and Amanda dressing up in designer duds and putting on a musical number in Wilhelmina’s office? Hysterical! Plus, we got to see how much Betty would do for Daniel. Let’s not forgot she crossed the parade route and almost got run over by the Queer Eye guys riding a giant turkey. That girl needs to ask for a raise. We got to see more of Santos in the Casa de Suarez, which was always a good thing. This was an episode that I couldn’t leave off the list.
I hope you all check out these Thanksgiving-themed episodes of some of my favorite shows. I’ve got my DVD sets ready! Also, do you have a favorite moment from the episodes above? If you have some other favorite Thanksgiving episodes let me know. Have some extra stuffing and enjoy! Happy Turkey Day!
Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Thursday.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is Maxim’s newest cover girl.
The former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star is steaming up the pages of the November 20 issue of Maxim in various states of undress.
We haven’t seen much news on Gellar lately, and in the Maxim interview she explains why. She’s currently promoting three new films, in which she plays a pop star, a lawyer and a porn star. From the look of the Maxim cover, I’d say she nailed the latter role.
From my overflowing e-mail box, it’s clear that the reality of no new episodes of your favorite TV shows is finally hitting you. It’s also clear that you’re anticipating a winter of discontent, locked in your basements watching your TV on DVD collections of Buffy, The Office, Seinfeld and Friends.
The most common question I’m getting is, “When will (insert show name here) stop airing?” Well, a few days ago I posted a link to that handy chart from the L.A. Times telling us how many episodes of each show had been shot and, in some cases, dates were listed. But now, TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello has compiled a new chart that tells us exactly how many episodes each show has left to air.
Just how many episodes of your shows are left to air? As of Sunday, November 11, here’s the tally. I’ve included some of my favorites here for quick reference, but for a complete list, see Ausiello’s novel.
Boston Legal, nine left Bones, six left Brothers & Sisters, after tonight five left Chuck, six left Desperate Housewives, after tonight three left Friday Night Lights, nine left Grey’s Anatomy, four left Heroes, four left Lost, eight left Men in Trees, 14 left One Tree Hill, 12 left Private Practice, four or five left Pushing Daisies, four left Reaper, three to five left Samantha Who, eight left Scrubs, nine left Smallville, eight left Ugly Betty, five or six left
Best line of the week Barney from How I Met Your Mother wins this week for this gem: (Robin explained that she hadn’t shaved her legs in days so she wouldn’t go too far on the first date.) Barney: “FYI baby, guys just want to get on the green. They don’t mind going through the rough.”
Journeyman Why does the Journeyman only have one sweater? It’s a nice one, sure, very GQ-esque, but still. He needs to change it up a bit.
Pushing Daisies The facts were these. Kristin Chenowith stole my heart in Pushing Daisies when she portrayed her heartbreak via song. She channeled Olivia Newton John in her rendition of Hopelessly Devoted to You, complete with Digby the dog’s masterful accompaniment. I know we’re supposed to root for Ned and Chuck, but Olive deserves some love, too. This could be primetime’s best love triangle since Sawyer, Kate and Jack. Not often does a television show with a perfect pilot live up to it in the next episode, but Pushing Daisies did. I hope we get to see more of Olive singing, more of Emerson knitting, and more of Ned being, well, Ned.
Las Vegas I can’t believe it, but it seems we’re getting deeper character development on Las Vegas. Sam didn’t miraculously recover from her kidnapping ordeal in one episode. In fact, she’s been struggling the last three episodes. Yay! My only complaint with Las Vegas in the past is that the fun-filled romp fest is infamous for introducing great storylines and dropping them too quickly. (Danny’s war trauma, Sam and Casey’s love story, Nessa’s relocation.) The show has a different feel this year, and it seems to be leaning toward longer story arcs. It still has the outrageous plots, the humor, the slick set and stellar cast, and now it seems a little more conversation to go along with all that action.
Grey’s Anatomy I want to hug Lexie Grey. When she begged Bailey to not make her work with Meredith because she hates Lexie for something that isn’t her fault, she won me over. As for this George/Izzie/Callie relationship, not so much. Callie needs to kick that cheater to the curb and regain her mojo. Let deer-resuscitating Izzie have him. Callie can do better. I hear MsSteamy’s single again.
Private Practice I’ve never tried so hard in my life to love a show. (Well, OK, Gossip Girl is an effort, too.) But week after week, Private Practice disappoints me. Yet, I keep hanging on because I know the greatness that is Shonda Rhimes, and my love for Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald and Taye Diggs knows no bounds. I think I’ve pinpointed my problem. The show setting is silly. (Ducking for cover.) A wellness clinic may work for massage, therapy and alternative medicine, but if your children were turning blue, what parent wouldn’t rush them to an emergency room? If these doctors worked in a hospital, perhaps they’d be more believable and credible. The fact that they sit around all day eating cake, playing pranks and eyeing one another undermines their professionalism. On Grey’s Anatomy, at least they always redeem their childish antics by performing some miraculous medical miracle. Maybe next week will be better.
Chuck Here’s just one of the reasons I’m enjoying Chuck. The writers are obviously fans of Lost. What else could explain one of Chuck’s government-downloaded secrets including the fact that Oceanic Flight 815 was shot down? (That’s a nod to the plane that crashed on Lost.) Brilliant!
Losing steam I loved the pilot episodes of Reaper and Moonlight, but I’m quickly losing interest. Moonlight hasn’t grabbed me the way Buffy and Angel did, and Reaper seems to be lacking that Kevin Smith polish that made the pilot shine. Heroes is also waning for me. I’ll just say it. There are too many heroes. Watching this show is like having ADD. We get a two-minute clip of one story, and then it’s on to the next.
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The My Name is Earl cast has a funny new music video coming out this Thursday during the show, but you can get an early look here. The new video Respect the Meat showcases Darnell pleading for animal rights and asking the Camden County residents to rethink their dining choices. Joy, Catalina, Earl and Randy also star. The bonus: Darnell has an amazing voice. I’m talking Marvin Gaye style crooning here
Patrick Swayze has been cast in the upcoming A&E original series Beast, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He’ll play an “unorthodox but effective FBI veteran who trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel,Tarzan) in his hard-edged, psychologically clever style, while being pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team.” Insert your own, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” joke here.
Three Friday Night Lights stars are auditioning for the big-screen Justice League movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki and Scott Porter are taking part in the two-day casting session. The O.C.’sAdam Brody is also among the group of 40 young Hollywood stars up for roles in the film about Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman and more.
Attention all WB, UPN and CW fans. A new book, Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and Fall of The WB and UPN goes on sale this week and it looks juicy. Authors Susanne Daniels, a television executive with The WB for most of its life and current President of Entertainment for Lifetime Networks, and Cynthia Littleton, a veteran television reporter and current Deputy Editor of news development for Variety, take readers behind the scenes of the networks’ greatest shows. Insider stories and and never-before-published details from producers including JJ Abrams (Felicity), Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek) provide a tell-all account of the dueling creative teams that ushered some of television’s most popular shows into the hearts, minds, and living rooms across the country. The book goes on sale October 16. Maybe we’ll finally get to the bottom of what really happened to the dancing frog.
The folks at Ghost Whispererwant your scary stories captured on video. If your story is chosen, you’ll get to appear in the Scariest Story Ever Told. Submission deadline is October 25.
CBS has tapped Regis Philbin to host its new primetime game show Million Dollar Password for midseason 2008. The new show is a modernized version of the classic Password, according to the press release from CBS. The show will feature two teams, comprised of one celebrity and one contestant, each competing to guess a password revealed only to the studio audience and viewers at home. Didn’t Regis already try the game show thing once already?
I love it when TV stars of my favorite shows past get new gigs. The former cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is popping up all over the tube, and I couldn’t be happier. Before you get too giddy reminiscing about the bygone days of Cordy, Willow, Buffy and Angel, take note that you can catch many of your favorite Buffy folks currently in new shows.
Charisma Carpenter landed a recurring role on the new ABC show Big Shots, beginning Nov. 1. She’ll also make a guest appearance on the new FOX show Back to You.
James Marsters is returning to Smallville soon on the CW, according to E!Online. He also did a role on Without a Trace and a guest spot on Saving Grace this summer.
Alyson Hannigan can be seen every Monday night on the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother.
And Buffy’s former love interest, Angel, actor David Boreanaz, is busy solving crimes on the FOX drama Bones. Now, if we could just get Sarah Michelle Gellar to guest on Bones as Booth’s former love interest, I’d be happier than Spike at a Red Cross blood drive.
It’s no secret that most of my favorite shows air on Thursday nights, and tonight feels like Christmas in September. All of my faves are returning tonight with new episodes, and I’m downright giddy.
Did Jim and Pam make it to their date on The Office? Will Chloe wake up on Smallville? Is Earl making license plates in the hoosegow on My Name is Earl? Will George be back at Seattle Grace on Grey’s Anatomy, and did Cristina re-grow her eyebrows? Are Betty and Henry truly done on Ugly Betty? The waiting is over, Tubers. We’ll find out tonight.
In addition, ABC is debuting its new show Big Shots, just after Grey’s Anatomy. It has received some harsh reviews from accredited TV critics, but I don’t agree with them. I liked it. Plus, Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas is now on board and former Buffy alum Charisma Carpenter has signed on, too.
Here’s the schedule of my picks for tonight. If you don’t have a DVR or a satellite dish that offers West Coast feeds, then you have my utmost sympathy.
8 p.m. My Name is Earl on NBC, Smallville on the CW, Ugly Betty on ABC
Private Practice Premiere date: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Airs: Wednesday s @ 9 p.m. ET on ABC
Confession: I’ve loved Addison Montgomery since she marched her stiletto-clad legs up to Meredith Grey and informed her she was sleeping with her husband. Apparently, I’m not the only one who was rooting for Team Addison; ABC gave the woman her own spinoff. The good news is that Grey’sAnatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is behind this new show. The bad news is that the pilot is mediocre, at best. Sure, expectations are high, and they should be, with Rhimes on board and the superstar cast. The majority of the actors - Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman - have headlined their own shows. But for some reason, I didn’t get that warm, fuzzy feeling that glues me to the TV screen when a show is working on all levels, and I’m not sure why. Kate Walsh and Daly have enough chemistry to power their own hospital, and Diggs is fun, flawed and charming. But Addison seems to have been dumbed-down in this new role, acting like a silly schoolgirl, at times, instead of the take-charge surgeon we’ve come to know. Most of the characters are interesting, with the exception of Brenneman’s. Her storyline had me reaching for the fast forward button. I’ve learned never to write off a show because the first episode doesn’t wow you. (Hello, Friday Night Lights!) And I’m not writing off Private Practice, as some critics have done already. I think it has potential. The problem Grey’s fans may have is the gaping hole Addison is leaving at Seattle Grace. On Thursday, ABC aired an “Addison” special that recapped her time on Grey’s. I’m sure the idea was to get fans to follow her to the new show. The problem is that the recap made me realize how much I’m going to miss her interaction with Miranda, Derek, and the gang. My apologies to Meredith fans, but the Addison/Derek/Mark triangle was one of the best ever on primetime. Period. Addison had mega chemistry with both McDreamy and McSteamy. If you’re questioning whether to invest in Private Practice, after all the mixed reviews you’ve read, I say give it a try. It may find its groove yet. If not, I hope Addison will come home to Seattle Grace and bring Daly’s Dr. Pete Wilder with her.
Moonlight Premiere date: Friday, September 28, 2007 Airs: Fridays @ 9 p.m. ET on CBS
Within the first minutes of Moonlight, vampire Mick St. John humorously dispelled all the things I thought I knew about TV vampires from years of watching Buffy and Angel. (Vampires can’t be killed with a stake, he claims. Hmmm…I guess Buffy never got the memo.) From the moment Moonlight began with its interview with a vampire, I was hooked. Alex O’Loughlin is funny and charming. He plays his vampire character with just enough bite to leave viewers wanting more. I was surprised at how strong the storyline was, including a fantastic twist at the end. Veronica Mars fans will be delighted to see Jason Dohring in his role as Josef, Mick’s friend and fellow vampire. Josef is wealthy, tough, and, lucky for us, mischievous. If you like fantasy shows or were ever a fan of Buffy and Angel, don’t miss Moonlight. For everyone else, you should tune in, too. You never know when you’ll need Mick St.John’s tips on how to kill a vampire.
Chuck Premiere date: Monday, September 24, 2007 Airs: Mondays @ 8 p.m. ET on NBC I love geeks, and Chuck Bartowski is this year’s Seth Cohen. He’s a computer genius who works at Nerd Herd (NBC’s hilarious version of Geek Squad.) He’s witty, as evidenced by his explanation of his career goals: ““Working on a five-year plan. I just need to choose a font.” Chuck is hard to categorize into one specific TV genre. If I had to label it, I’d call it an action-adventure dramedy. Other critics have called it a comedy, but I save that label for true sitcoms. Chuck’s problems begin when he receives an e-mail from his old college roommate, who is a spy. The e-mail has subliminal government secrets in it that are downloaded to Chuck’s already super-powered brain. He soon becomes a target and must work with the government to stop the world’s evildoers. Zachary Levi is so good in this role he may become this season’s breakout star. Even Summer Roberts can’t resist him. (That’s actress Rachel Bilson, formerly of The O.C., for you non O.C. watchers.) Seth Cohen’s old flame is scheduled to guest star on Chuck this season. The supporting cast is excellent, too, including fanboy fave Adam Baldwin. The show runner behind Chuck is TV genius Josh Schwartz, who gave us The O.C. So, I think you know what that means. Set your DVR season pass.
The View’s rosy ratings I never saw this coming. Whoopi Goldberg’s first week on The View scored huge ratings, tying Rosie O’Donnell’s debut to earn the highest ratings ever in the show’s history, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The addition of Sherri Shepherd brought even more viewers to the chatfest, an impressive 3.9 million on Monday, compared to 3.1 million last year.
Watch new fall shows early You can watch several new fall shows for free, before they air. NBC is offering its new pilots, Bionic Woman, Chuck, Life and Journeyman, and CBS is offering The Big Bang Theory at Amazon Unbox, for free, before they air on TV. Once downloaded, viewers can watch the shows on their computers or TiVo box. Not to be left out, The CW is offering Gossip Girl at iTunes.
Former Buffy star does The Apprentice Cordy vs. the business world? Yes, it’s true. Former Buffy and Angel star Charisma Carpenter has signed on for the celebrity version of The Apprentice, according to TV Guide. I’ve seen her slay a vampire. Her fellow job applicants had better watch their backs.
Former O.C. star guests on Chuck Rachel Bilson, known to many as Summer Roberts from The OC, will guest star on the new NBC show Chuck for several episodes, according to show runner Josh Schwartz. I’d heard that Chuck was this season’s Seth Cohen, but I didn’t believe it until now.
Jon Stewart to host Oscars Jon Stewart is set to return as the host of The Oscars this year. He’s been asked to pull hosting duties again when the show airs on Feb. 24, 2008. I love Stewart, but I guess this officially means that Billy Crystal is done.
Britney Spears’ ex, Kevin Federline, is scheduled to guest star on One Tree Hill this season. It’s not clear if producers are purposely trying to get people to stop watching or not.
Jennifer Garner is heading to Broadway this fall to star in Cyrano de Bergerac, according to Variety. Garner will star as Roxanne, to Kevin Kline’sCyrano. Rescue Me hottie Daniel Sunjata will star as the “dumb-but-hot object of Roxane’s affection.” The play opens Nov. 1 and ends Dec. 23 at the Richard Rodgers Theater. In what can only be explained as a strange coincidence, the producer’s name is Susan Bristow.
Veronica Mars' fans, TV Guide’sMichael Ausiello has a fantastic new interview up with Kristen Bell. And if you check out his chat, he includes Bell’s comments about the Veronica Mars movie. No, I can’t let it go.
The adorable Smurfs that I spent my childhood Saturday mornings with are finally coming to DVD. Mark your calendars for Dec. 4. Mom, I think you know what I’ll be asking for this Christmas.
A new game show, Temptation, combines two of my favorite things: pop culture and shopping and is debuting in syndication on Sept. 10 (check local listings.) If you can look at a list of celebrities and choose which ones were arrested in 2006, then this is the game for you. A special primetime launch on MyNetworkTV is scheduled for Sept. 5.
The folks at TV.com surveyed more than 4,000 fans for a back-to-school related article to find out which TV high school they’d like to attend. The winner was Sunndydale High School (Buffy the Vampire Slayer.) Um, did these folks ever see an episode of Buffy? That high school was plagued with vampires, demons and evil principals. Sunnydale narrowly beat out Tree Hill High (One Tree Hill) and Smallville High (Smallville.)
Fellow Buffy fans, when I hear of former Buffy stars’ projects I have to let you know about it.
Spike, um James Marsters, has landed a guest star gig on Without A Trace.
According to Marsters Web site, he’ll play “Detective Mars” from Washington D.C., who investigates a human trafficking ring.
Rumors are swirling that Marsters could become a series regular.
I hate it when actors I love join shows I’ve never watched. Without A Trace is not my type of show. I’m not usually a fan of procedural crime dramas. While I'm thrilled that Marsters has landed a new job, I don’t think even Spike could get me to add this one to my DVR.
by Ashley Gouveia
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Confession: I’ve loved Addison Montgomery since she marched her stiletto-clad legs up to Meredith Grey and informed her she was sleeping with her husband. Apparently, I’m not the only one who was rooting for Team Addison; ABC gave the woman her own spinoff. The good news is that Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is behind this new show. The bad news is that the pilot is mediocre, at best. Sure, expectations are high, and they should be, with Rhimes on board and the superstar cast. The majority of the actors - Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman - have headlined their own shows. But for some reason, I didn’t get that warm, fuzzy feeling that glues me to the TV screen when a show is working on all levels, and I’m not sure why. Kate Walsh and Daly have enough chemistry to power their own hospital, and Diggs is fun, flawed and charming. But Addison seems to have been dumbed-down in this new role, acting like a silly schoolgirl, at times, instead of the take-charge surgeon we’ve come to know. Most of the characters are interesting, with the exception of Brenneman’s. Her storyline had me reaching for the fast forward button. I’ve learned never to write off a show because the first episode doesn’t wow you. (Hello, Friday Night Lights!) And I’m not writing off Private Practice, as some critics have done already. I think it has potential. The problem Grey’s fans may have is the gaping hole Addison is leaving at Seattle Grace. On Thursday, ABC aired an “Addison” special that recapped her time on Grey’s. I’m sure the idea was to get fans to follow her to the new show. The problem is that the recap made me realize how much I’m going to miss her interaction with Miranda, Derek, and the gang. My apologies to Meredith fans, but the Addison/Derek/Mark triangle was one of the best ever on primetime. Period. Addison had mega chemistry with both McDreamy and McSteamy. If you’re questioning whether to invest in Private Practice, after all the mixed reviews you’ve read, I say give it a try. It may find its groove yet. If not, I hope Addison will come home to Seattle Grace and bring Daly’s Dr. Pete Wilder with her.
I love geeks, and Chuck Bartowski is this year’s Seth Cohen. He’s a computer genius who works at Nerd Herd (NBC’s hilarious version of Geek Squad.) He’s witty, as evidenced by his explanation of his career goals: ““Working on a five-year plan. I just need to choose a font.” Chuck is hard to categorize into one specific TV genre. If I had to label it, I’d call it an action-adventure dramedy. Other critics have called it a comedy, but I save that label for true sitcoms. Chuck’s problems begin when he receives an e-mail from his old college roommate, who is a spy. The e-mail has subliminal government secrets in it that are downloaded to Chuck’s already super-powered brain. He soon becomes a target and must work with the government to stop the world’s evildoers. Zachary Levi is so good in this role he may become this season’s breakout star. Even Summer Roberts can’t resist him. (That’s actress Rachel Bilson, formerly of The O.C., for you non O.C. watchers.) Seth Cohen’s old flame is scheduled to guest star on Chuck this season. The supporting cast is excellent, too, including fanboy fave Adam Baldwin. The show runner behind Chuck is TV genius Josh Schwartz, who gave us The O.C. So, I think you know what that means. Set your DVR season pass.
