Preview of Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible Sing-Along blog

Joss Whedon is at it again.

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’s Matt 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…”


Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

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You must watch Waitress

by Jennifer Squires Biller

It’s not often I tell you what to do, Tubers. But today, I’m making an exception.

You must, I repeat, MUST watch the new Keri Russell film Waitress. Run, don’t walk, to find a theater showing this delightful little independent film about a pie maker who questions her choices in life. It’s deliciously good and made me chuckle repeatedly through its duration.

Longtime Tube Talk readers know my love for Russell’s work dates back to her under appreciated Felicity days, one of my all-time favorite TV shows. (The fact that she never won an Emmy for Felicity is still one of Emmys biggest travesties.) But, honestly, I’m not biased.

On the big screen, Russell still has that uncanny ability to show vulnerability, humor and realism - seamlessly - making the audience feel her pain and step into her dismal life as a pie maker and waitress. A less talented actress may have had problems evoking a connection to audiences, since her character Jenna is a pregnant woman with no warm/fuzzy feelings to her unborn baby, but Russell doesn’t. She pulls at your heartstrings and makes you understand her impossible situation.

TV lovers will be pleasantly surprised to see several other familiar television faces in Waitress, including Andy Griffith, Nathan Fillion and Cheryl Hines. Griffith is a delight as the crotchety diner owner, Fillion is perfect as the nervous, dreamy doctor who falls for Jenna, and Hines evokes more than one laugh as Jenna’s sympathetic co-worker.

Don’t be surprised if you have a yearning for pie when you leave the theater, especially the “I hate my husband pie.” The description alone is enough to get the taste buds watering: “You take bittersweet chocolate and don’t sweeten it. You make it into a pudding and drown it in caramel..."

If you live in small town, USA, you may have a difficult time finding Waitress in a theater near you. I had to drive about 45 minutes to find a theater showing it, but trust me; it’s worth it. Waitress may be the sweetest little film you’ll see all year.

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FOX’s new show DRIVE is a race of adrenaline

by Jennifer Squires Biller

After watching DRIVE, you may just say goodbye to road rage.

In fact, you may sympathize with the next guy who cuts you off in traffic and find yourself asking, “Why is he driving like the hounds of Hell are nipping at his tires?”

FOX’s new show DRIVE offers up a possible explanation for those crazy, aggressive drivers: They’re racing for their lives, the life of a loved one, or in some cases, just the $32 million prize.

This show is a little bit The Fast and the Furious and a little bit The Amazing Race, but with its own unique story premise. DRIVE has fast cars, action, humor, drama and a good-looking talented cast.

And did I mention it stars Nathan Fillion? He plays the main character, Alex Tully.

The concept of DRIVE is that a diverse group of drivers are participating in an illegal cross-country road race that, apparently, has dire consequences for the losers. Some of the participants have been forced to race; others are there willingly, with the hope of winning the prize money.

Several TV critics around the Web already have proclaimed their love of the show, including Maureen Ryan at The Chicago Tribune and Kristin Veitch at E!Online. I won’t go that far. It’s not really my type of TV, but that shouldn’t deter you. If fast cars, action, and adventure are your TV crack, then you don’t want to miss this one.

Here’s the main reason you should at least take DRIVE out for a spin: Tim Minear.

Minear is a writing genius. He has thrilled TV fans with his work on Lois and Clark, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Wonderfalls. Honestly, if you told me that Minear had joined that dreadful Pussycat Dolls show, I’d be forced to tune in. That’s how good he is.

I won’t lie to you, though. I didn’t love this show the way I have previous Minear projects, such as Firefly and Wonderfalls. I found it a little hard to believe that the racers in DRIVE, who were coerced, didn’t head straight for the cops. (Yes, I know the two other aforementioned Minear shows included space travel and talking chotchkes, but that stretch of the imagination worked on those programs.)

As for DRIVE, no Tim Minear, I didn’t “hate it, in which case, the less said the better.” In fact, I think plenty of folks will enjoy the show, especially the male demographic.

TV fans will see plenty of familiar faces, beginning with Fillion. He plays a man forced into the race in an effort to find his kidnapped wife. Actor Kevin Alejandro, “Santos” of Ugly Betty, stars as a criminal bad-boy who meets his half-brother and sets out to prove something to his father. Felicity fans also will recognize actress Kristin Lehmen, who played Ben’s love interest Avery for a few episodes. Lehmen also starred on Prison Break and a number of other TV shows, before taking on the DRIVE role of Corinna Wiles. Wiles seems to hold the key to the secrets of the race. One of the funniest casting coups occurs when a leather-clad motorcycling couple takes off their helmets. I won’t tell you who the actress is, but let’s just say Lois and Clark fans will be squealing with delight.

In addition to those characters, the race participants also include new mother Wendy Patrakas (Melanie Lynskey), who is on the run from her husband; Hurricane Katrina survivors Ivy Chitty (Taryn Manning,) Leigh Barnthouse (Rochelle Aytes) and Susan Chamblee (Michael Hyatt) who are determined to start their lives over; and John Trimble (Dylan Baker), a conservative scientist who enters the race with his 15-year-old-daughter in an effort to be spontaneous.

DRIVE premieres this Sunday, April 15, on FOX. Check it out to see if it revs your engine.

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