Veronica Mars movie in the works

Yes, Tube Talk readers, there is a Santa Claus.

I asked Jolly ol’ St. Nick to give us Veronica Mars fans a movie on the big screen. And according to Mars' creator Rob Thomas, he’s working on the script and star Kristen Bell is on board, too.

Thank you, Santa. (And Rob Thomas, too!)

I know it’s a long way from completion at this point and Thomas probably still has to find money and a studio for the project, but I’m not worried. Studio executives, if you’re reading this, please invest in this film. You need to FINALLY make some smart, funny, entertaining movies with female leads that don’t resort to bathroom humor, sex jokes or boring melodrama.

Veronica Mars is intelligent, suave, funny, and a hero for today’s woman. She’s James Bond without all the car chases, gadgets and violence. And I have faith that Thomas will write a compelling script with all of Veronica’s trademark quirks.

Bell is a movie star. Yes, she started on the small screen, but let’s hope her Veronica will soon be at a Cineplex near you!

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Michael Muhney on CSI: Miami Monday

Sheriff Lamb lovers, I have some news for you.

Actor Michael Muhney - who will always be Sheriff Lamb from Veronica Mars to me – will guest star on CSI: Miami Monday night.

Tune in and find out if he’s a killer or not!

CSI: Miami airs at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Interview with Moonlight’s Jason Dohring

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Moonlight fans, do I have a treat for you. Earlier today I spoke with one of the show’s stars, Jason Dohring, or as you know him, Josef, one of the world’s oldest vampires.

Dohring was kind enough to take time to speak me and a few other TV press folks and was as charming as ever.

He’s so excited for us to see the upcoming episodes he could hardly contain himself. From the spoilers he gave us, the future episodes sound awesome, or as Jason put it, “F------ awesome!”

Thanks again to Jason and to CBS for this interview. And don’t forget to watch Moonlight this Friday at 9 p.m. I don’t think I’m alone here when I say, “Don’t die Coraline!”

Here’s the interview transcript. CBS did not provide a transcript, so I transcribed our conversation from my tape to the best of my abilities. In places, the word "frakking" has been substituted for another F word that we can't print here.

Do you know if the show will be delving more into Josef’s past to explore his past loves and how he’s managed to become so successful?
Yes, absolutely. I think the successful thing [came] more in the first episode, with the hedge fund trader, and the real estate. In the episode this Friday, you find out basically why he’s always concerned about Mick dating humans and being with humans, like what is that? There’s basically a personal reason that Josef’s gone through. I don’t know if it’s proper or whatever, but I always kind of take the idea that maybe Josef has gone through what Mick’s going through. Maybe one time he was a good person, and you’ll sort of see glimpses of that, you know, with my former hairstyle, and my really nice suit in New York in this week’s episode.

Is Josef going to get a love interest?
That’s fantastic man. You’re going to find out. You’ll see some really cool stuff in this next episode. I don’t know if that’s too much of a spoiler or whatever, but you’ll definitely see some love interest. You’ll see. I don’t know how to explain it or whatever. I think he would. Like Logan, he’s probably a tough guy to live with. There was an episode with Lola or whatever. They had the on again off again thing. I would really like to see someone that could match him, they fight, they get back together. I think it would be quite a passionate relationship.

How many episodes are left with the strike, what are we going to see, what does the future hold?

Les Moonves said a few days ago, some kind stuff about our show and The Big Bang Theory, about us coming back for a second season. I can’t speak for the producers, but that was given in a press interview, which is obviously a good sign. There’s a lot of plus points. Our show is one of two shows that have been up-trending in viewership. So obviously that’s a good sign. We’re right around 8 million, which is pretty high. Having CBS as backup, promo-ing the show, you’re sitting there watching golf and see a promo, which helps out a lot. We just finished shooting number 12 about 3 or 4 days ago. It was very good. There’s a vampire that comes that makes me look like a pauper which is cool. It goes back in history. We have some great history, makeup and sets, and like an old world, from a different time feel to the show and the storyline comes out. I think it’ll be really cool to see how it all turns out. Great makeup and George Washington hair and all that cool stuff. [Air date] is sometime in January. (Episodes) 11 and 12 will both air in January [January 4th and 11th].

How is the experience on Moonlight different from your experience on Veronica Mars?

Yeah, there’s a couple things I guess. The characters are obviously a bit different. You know, I think, they both have really interesting stories. Josef was kind of the expansion of a character, it’s like the 400 years aspect, as we’ll find more about as the story unfolds. There’s so much history. As an actor, each new script that comes out, you kind of add to that. You don’t know beforehand, when you first started, what your history is, but you sort of learn as you do it. You’re sort of picking that up and putting that in your character as you go. So I think it adds more to the storyline like that. And I think, just being on CBS is quite a bit different. It’s a bigger cast. You’re at Warner Bros which is quite close to my house so I don’t have to trek down to San Diego, which is kind of nicer. Just those two aspects more than anything else.

The blood on this show – what is that?

There’s two generations. We got love handles from the first one. It was pure sugar and you just wake up feeling horrible so you have to change it. The new generation is pomegranate juice and something else. It’s a concoction that the props guys make up. Yeah, it’s good. It’s quite sweet. It’s a little hard to keep a straight face when you’re taking it down, but [adopts awesomely cocky attitude voice] that’s why they pay us the big bucks.

What are some shows that you watch on TV?

Oh boy, I really enjoy Deadwood. I enjoy The Office, Family Guy. Moonlight, Veronica Mars, I don’t know, that’s about it (laughter.)

How do you prepare for a role like this, where you’re sort of eternally young and going through these things?

I can’t quite help that, because I just am young, ya know what I mean? As far as the role, it’s an ongoing thing. You can study all the things on the vampires for as long as you can live in LA. There’s so many books on it. We kind of have our own code, and before we even started, I was reading some Ann Rice books, getting a feel of what vampires are like, why are they different from humans. I think there’s a lot to do with “esp”, they can tell when other vampires are nearby, they can tell who are humans, they can perceive what’s really going on, and these are really cool character elements for an actor to work on. I’m very happy to be able to have that opportunity. Every actor wants to play a vampire.

What about the character made him interesting to you?

It came to me, as basically two pages, was the audition scene. So originally it was an older guy and they hadn’t finished the script yet, so the two pages I got was essentially the first scene that was in the pilot episode, on the phone, and I’m sort of talking to Mick and he comes in. I was immediately fascinated with the character. Very, very, very sharp, you know? I don’t know, very keen, has a very hard edge. And then, I guess as it sort of develops, you got more that the writers do their thing, and you get more backstory and get familiar with the character and you see where he’s been, what the history was, that led to becoming who he is. It just gets more interesting over time, but it started out cool.Josef is so paranoid about the humans finding out about the vampire community.

Are we ever going to get into how he gets a hold of his staff (some who are human, some who are vampires), and how he keeps all of them, to keep the [vampirism] from getting out?

I think at some point, if it gets too out of hand, people are just like “come on please” and it doesn’t become believable. I think he has a lot of poise. He’s able to keep his guys at bay. I don’t know to what degree he disposes of these guys. There was talk in the earlier episodes that he was ruthless guy. Then you see that maybe he does have humanity. I think it would be an interesting point. Mostly he just bankrolls them. I don’t know I’ll just make it up – he wipes them out afterwards.

Going past episode 12, do you know anything about what your character is expected to see?

It’s pretty much in the formulistic stages, with regard to that. Obviously, there’s no scripts written. There’s some possible stuff. The one thing that I heard is basically a betrayal of Josef against Mick. Something Josef’s been telling him all along is not true, and it’s very important to Mick. That’ll lead to some very cool stuff. There’s some great stuff coming up. I’m so excited for you to see it. Particularly, in episode 11, I think you’re going to fall in love with this one character, she’s just unreal, this girl.

The next question kind of goes along with that – some of the readers of our site were interested in seeing Josef and Mick as possible enemies – is that something you’d want to play?

Oh absolutely, I’m always kind of in favor of changing things around. You can always come around. I think that would be great. He can stand up to the best of them, so I’d like to see him maybe tear me a new one ha.

A lot of the scenes that people have really responded to have been ones where there is real male camaraderie going on. Is there going to be more of that male bonding coming up? Or is that going to be fractured?

I hope it never gets to that. I think it’s a part of who these guys are. A big part of why Josef is in the storyline at all is because he’s somewhat of a mentor, a safe person that Mick can ask about certain experiences he’s going through and how they relate to Josef’s knowledge of the situation. They’re the scenes that I enjoy the most. A lot of that banter back and forth. Hopefully, we’ll get a lot more.

There’s a lot of action on Moonlight and I was wondering if you expect to see Josef get in on the action?

All they had was me slipping on the rooftop so far, which is the extent of my action, I don’t know if you saw that one, where I like jump up on the roof or whatever. I expect that there would be some more. I would love to se him get in a fight. I’d be curious to see how they write it. I think perhaps, he [F----], oops, sorry about that just vamps out. He goes nuts. He just totally loses his mind. I think that would be so cool.

Obviously, vampires have been the big fear of many for years. What is your own personal biggest fear?
Oh my God, that’s a great question! It’s funny. I think I would have to say looking around and seeing the way that the world is now as opposed to where it was 40 to 50 years ago, it’s pretty crazy. It’s funny for like a kid my age, growing up, because it’s way different than my parents. They grew up with morals and manners and stuff like that and I look around at my friends and I think, damn, dude, where did that go and what happens when they have kids? Really, it’s not a light matter. You look at 100s and 100s and 1000s of years, it’s been that way, and in the last 40 or 50 years it’s gone down man so it’s like, damn you gotta pick it back up. That’s scary to me.

Who are some of your favorite actors/actresses, who would you love to work with?

Dude, I always see movies and say “oh I would add that to my list” and then someone asks me and I can’t think. Brando, Dean, and Clift. Those are all no longer here, but Kevin Kline would be awesome to work with. I’d love to work with Ryan Gosling, I think he’s awesome. I think Jeff Bridges is unbelievable. I think he’s very underrated. Alfred Molina I love. I think Meryl Streep is fantastic, I think she does amazing work. Jessica Lange is beautiful.

To go along with that question, if you could do anything in the world, any type of project, what would it be?

Gosh, I would probably do Shakespeare with the above guys. It would just be so amazing. The concepts in that, I don’t know, just with my horrible answer to what am I scared of, they deal with concepts like that in Shakespeare, you know what I mean? He saw these things and he saw that sort of stuff, so when you get actors that can play that sort of thing. Like, did you guys see Love Actually? There’s this scene with Emma Thompson. It breaks your heart, man. She’s just talking to her husband, talking basically about this girl that he might be in love with or whatever, and then she totally lets it go, and goes on to the next thing and shuts it out of her life. You just go, oh my god, it just breaks your heart. I love those moments in acting. That’s what I try to find sometimes. What that actually does, you take it on as a universal concept. You see like this kid who gets hit by his dad, but you really see that dude, and you see what that does to that kid. Then when you talk about it, it’s a little bit different, if you can actually see what that does, what the ramifications are. That’s why these great actors are so good, because they make you feel it man, and they see it. If you can see it, then you can put it in your act.

Do you have any upcoming movie projects?

I just messed around with some friends of mine. We did a little short film [called Struck] that you’ll probably wind up seeing at some point. It’s only about 7 minutes long. I play a guy that’s not like any of these guys. It’s a really lovely story. I think you’ll see. I play like a really loose nice guy, and it’s a little bit cool for a change of pace. There are a couple movies I might be working on soon. It more or less depends on the strike though. I can’t be in the middle of a movie, and they call you back to work on this project and have to abandon the movie.

How do you prepare to play this part? Do you have a technique, do you use Method?

I suppose I just read it over and over and over and get my idea of things. I think what I said earlier is kind of like more how I approach it. If you can look at life, man if you can really see life, you can bring that sort of knowledge to your acting. Gosh, it’s amazing man. I think the people that can’t, don’t get it, don’t see that, are missing lots of things that they could bring to their work. I just read it over and over and kind of more, dramatize it. You take a little line or a little piece of something and you look at it a bunch of different ways, you can add a story to it yourself if it’s not in the script and make it bigger for yourself. And then when you say it…you know what I mean? If you’re talking about, say your father, who is never mentioned before and that sort of thing, what that relationship is like, you know, so when you talk about it, you know. People feel that. When people are just talking to you in their everyday life and they’re talking to you about experiences that they’ve had, you get what they’re talking about, what they’re looking at when they’re talking to you. I think it’s great that as an actor you can create it how you want. It’s very creative; it doesn’t leave you in the past. Method is, I don’t know. It’s just the people I’ve seen do it, I don’t know, I don’t want to say anything I guess because there’s people that do it with great success. I think there’s another way to do it that it’s not so hard on yourself. You can take it and make it whatever you want, based on your ideas of life, or your ideas about that certain situation. You can create it whatever way you want, based on the story, and how you want it to be looked at and what you want people to feel from it. It’s beautiful actually.

You don’t take anything from your life, you’d rather imagine it?

Yeah, totally, but not to the point where it’s like, oh I don’t know about that, when I do? If I’ve seen something in my life, I know what that’s like. I’m not going to not use my knowledge of life, you know what I mean? I don’t consciously go back to that moment and feel that pain. It’s like, yeah I know what it’s like to be broken up with; I know what the feels like. It’s like [frakking] time just caves in on you, it’s [frakking] unbelievable. It’s the worst feeling in the [frakking] world or when you break up with somebody else. You see that all the time in drama, and if you really look at it, it’s probably one of the top five worst things that’s ever happened to you and if you look at it like that, you really look at it, you come up with some really special stuff for those moments.

I read somewhere that you have two sets of identical twin siblings. Is that true?

They’re both identical, which doesn’t run in the family, like we don’t have twins anywhere in the family, like it’s not hereditary. We don’t have twins anywhere in the family, so it’s like one in a million chance.

Thank you guys so much, I really appreciate it, thanks for letting me talk about the acting for a little bit!

That's it Tubers. Don't forget to vote for Moonlight in the People's Choice Awards.

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Interview with Heroes’ Kristen Bell and Tim Kring (Part 1)

Earlier this week, I participated in a conference call with Heroes Kristen Bell, Tim Kring, and journalists from across the world. There were so many journalists waiting to talk with Bell and Kring, we were limited to one question each. But, between all of us, we covered every topic imaginable.

Here’s a rundown of the chat, starting with my question. (By the time I got through in the call, most of the questions asked had been about Heroes, so I went a different route. Please note, this is not a transcript of the entire conference call, only the parts I found the most interesting.)

Jennifer Biller: Hi Kristen. I just wanted to say congratulations on the Heroes role and ask if you have had a chance to catch your former co-star Jason Dohring in the new show Moonlight and if you get to keep in touch with any of your former Veronica Mars cast mates?

Kristen Bell: Hi. We do actually keep in touch a lot. I just came back from breakfast about 20 minutes ago with Ryan Hansen who played Dick Casablancas and (Wakmi Tadeo) who was our DP. We went to breakfast this morning. I had not caught Jason’s show, but I have been TiVoing it. And Tim’s been keeping me pretty busy, so I haven’t caught up on all my TiVo yet. But it’s funny how many people from Veronica Mars are working on Moonlight right now. There’s a substantial (amount) of the crew and Jason, some of the ADs and stuff. And everybody got along really well on (Veronica Mars.) And so we’re all pretty supportive of each other’s careers. And we’ve maintained those friendships.

Bell dishes her new role on Heroes

Q: Do you have any connection to Peter Petrelli and whether or not your character works for the company on the show?

A: Kristen Bell: Well I’ll probably have Tim guide me through this one as well. I have a lot of information about Peter’s past.
Tim Kring: Yeah, we introduced the character and she is looking for Peter Petrelli. And I think one can assume that she finds him.

Q: Kristen, can you tell us a little bit more about your character? I mean is there any other details that you can reveal, her secret origin, her secret power, you know, anything…

A: Kristen Bell: Her name is Elle. I can’t reveal her secret powers. You’ll have to watch next Monday. But it’s a very cool power. She has ties to HRG and to Claire. And there’s going to be a very interesting dynamic I think, between her and Claire as far as what is and what is not. And I think there’s going to be a deeper relationship there than people are expecting. They’re going to see some - maybe some parallels. But she also has ties to a little bit to Suresh. And she’s a little messed up in the head which makes her really manipulative and always out to get what she wants. She doesn’t have many boundaries which I think is the really interesting part of playing this character on this particular show because the whole first season has been about these, you know, fairly good-natured people in trying to embrace these confusing abilities and being very (conflicted) as to how they should be using them. And Elle is not that way at all. She very much enjoys her power and enjoys the emotional power it gives her over other people.

Tim Kring: Well let me sort of add to that a little bit. The - this - the one thing that we will say is that, you know, we are tying this character’s side to this company that we have, you know, talked about for the last year on the show that Claire’s father was involved with. And so one of the ideas was that this character, Elle’s character is actually raised within the company. And it’s in some ways a cautionary tale of what would happen to any of our characters had they lived with their powers their whole life the way Elle had.

Q: How long can we expect to see you on Heroes? And would you be up for it being more of a long-term commitment or something where you could come back periodically?

A: Oh funny you should ask. I would be up for that. I think that this has been a great relationship so far. And there was no hesitancy with entering as far as becoming a main part of the show, just more like well from both ends it was like let’s feel each other out and see how you fit into the show and if you’re happy. And it’s been a great relationship so far. And so, you know, I’ll be one of the ones that (keeps messages that) gets cross but that I won’t get (killed). Right now I think that I am signed on for 13 which, you know, certainly to the discretion as how it fits into the major plot lines they could use me or I could just sit on the sidelines. But I - quite frankly, I hope they use me because I’m really having a good time. And then at the end of the 13 we decided to have a pow-wow and sit down and see if it makes sense for me to continue.

Q: Is there a particular upcoming episode that you’re very excited about that we should watch out for good Elle stuff in?

A: Oh wow, yes. Unfortunately it might be a little bit of a tease because I start in Episode 5, and then I don’t - I’m not in 6 or 7 which I guess is sort of part of the mystery and at least that’s what I’m saying. Episodes 8 and 9 are - have a lot of Elle. They kind of - they expose her storyline. A few of the storylines completely revolve around here. So shooting 8 and 9 was really great for me. I had a lot of stuff in 8 and 9. And so I sort of have to hold out myself to be able to see 8 and 9 and sort of really see how the character reads as far as interacting with all the other storylines.

Q: You’ve spoke of Elle’s moral ambiguity and her mental health status. Can you tell us what some of her strengths will be?

A: Oh wow, determination. And she’s a very fierce and intense personality. When she wants something, she wants it and she wants it now which I think is good when you’re working with the good guys and is really bad when you’re working with the bad guys. And I think that’s what she’ll kind of ping-pong in-between. She has an inability to decipher between right and wrong. That’s what makes her so interesting. She always thinks what she’s doing is right. But it’s because she was raised by the company and not by a normal family that you’ll sympathize with her. I certainly hope you’ll sympathize with her in trying to understand how her childhood really messed her up. And then hopefully, you know, she can get a little bit of redemption.

Q: Would you say this character of Elle will be a character that fans will love or will it become a character that fans will love to hate?

A: I think she’ll go backwards in that area. I think that they will love to hate her initially while they’re confused about her intentions. But I think that the more you find out about her the more - well I mean, I don’t know because I don’t know how it’ll read. I hope that the more you find out about here and the deeper you go into her, the more you’ll sympathize with her.

Q: Has it been fun playing this new mysterious character?

A: Oh it’s been so much fun. I have been, I think crossing my fingers in hopes that I’d get a job soon where I could play someone who was as Tim likes to call it, a little off or perhaps didn’t have the brightest and shiniest of intentions. And I think the depth at which they’ve written Elle, this character, she’s so conflicted and sort of comes across as such as vixen, it’s so much fun to play with.

Q: You’ve obviously said you’ve been a fan of Heroes for quite some time. So just wondering of all the characters on the show, which would you like most to see Elle interact with? And if you could steal one of their powers, which one would it be?

A: I would like to most interact with -- and this is for two different reasons -- for on and off camera reasons -- with Zachary Quinto. Because Zachary Quinto has been a good friend of mine for almost ten years now. And I’ve always wanted to work with him and besides the fact that he’s pretty much the coolest thing because he’s so unpredictable and so downright evil. And it’s almost hard for me to watch because it’s the polar opposite of Zach’s personality because he’s just the kindest, gentlest most giving person. I would love to see him and Elle face off one day. I think that that would be unbelievable. As far as stealing power, I don’t know about stealing anyone’s power. But the one power I would like to come up with -- because that’s the question that the cast, I think, gets most often like ‘what would your super hero power be’ -- I thought long and hard about that.
And I think mine would be multiplicity. Because I think it would be great to be able to multiply myself and cook myself dinner. I’d just be like ‘hey, clean that up’, you know? Because I always feel like if there were more of me, I could get so much more done. I’d be so much more happier.

Kristen talks Lost, geeky guilty pleasures, Gossip Girl, her favorite TV shows and more

Q: It was widely reported that you were offered a recurring role on Lost as well. Why did you decide to be on Heroes instead?

A: Well I think that the facts of the situation are that the media might have gotten a little ahead of themselves because I was not - I had been spoken to about possibly doing a role on Lost, but I was never actually offered one. That certainly would have been, you know, a wonderful opportunity. But I think I have been such a fan of Heroes from the very beginning that this sort of - this would have been the dreamiest situation I could have possibly thought up as my next job. So when Tim came forward I sort of pounced on it.

Q: What TV shows are you watching right now?

A: It’s on my Tivo. Pushing Daisies I love. I do of course support and watch our NBC line up of Chuck and Journeyman. I’ve watched the Office since it started with - I love. And I love the BBC - I watch a lot of BBC shows, don’t watch all of that many American shows. I really like Little Britain. I’m excited that that’s coming out on HBO and even (Gentlemen). Although, I’m always kind of into reruns of America’s Funniest Home Videos. That’s sort of my number one. That’s my geekiest, guilty pleasure. I’ll tell you that right there. And I don’t feel guilty about it because it’s an awesome show.

Q: Who is your favorite super hero?

A: Oh wow, my favorite super hero? Man, I like the little Pixie Girls I think because I can relate. I mean it’s great to love like She-Hulk or anything that’s like big and dominating. But for me it would be like a Harley Quinn or like Lost from Avengers -- something like that. Something I can relate to, something that I can feel I can accomplish.

Q: How do you feel now that you’re the voice of the Gossip Girl? How does that work for you?

A: Gossip Girl’s been great. I mean I’ve known Josh Schwartz for a little bit and was sort of happy when they wanted me involved in it. And it’s sort of an easy deal for me because it’s not on camera. And I’ve always dreamt about having a job where I could go and show up in my jammies. And that’s kind of what it is. But, you know, I think I love and support Josh and it’s been a lot of fun. (Kristen said she didn’t think she’ll ever appear on camera as Gossip Girl.)

Q: With the rise of shows like Chuck and a sudden emphasis on geek sub culture, I’m wondering as a female geek icon who is beautiful and brainy what your geeky, guilty pleasures are?

A: Oh wow, my geeky, guilty pleasures? (I bet) my ComiCon would be a geeky, guilty pleasure. I think the geekiest of all my pleasures at ComiCon is I’d definitely try to go around and get pictures with every single person who dresses up. Because the people come in full costume. They just fascinate me, absolutely fascinate me. And what’s even more fascinating is that if I were to come in costume like dressed as a Storm Trooper, I would kind of expect the fact that people are going to want pictures of me. And most of the time when I ask them for pictures they’re like so ‘oh, all right, just make it quick’ like it’s like so frustrating for them. And it’s so fascinating to me because I’m like well you’re the one that came in costume so don’t get angry at me. My geeky, guilty pleasures, I don’t know. I mean certainly having done Fanboys, anything Star Wars is now sort of wonderful and fascinating to me and then the - and the fact that I’m sort of still learning. And I have like all my friends are Fanboys. So it’s not so much that I’m like typically going out on my own and - as much as I am learning from them and have just been so embraced by this community that I love it. And now I’m sort of coming into my own as a Fangirl and seeking things out like the New Beverly in Los Angeles had a double feature the other night of Tron and the Last Starfighter. So I was like I kind of need to see that at least just once in my life because that seemed like an awesome double feature, you know?

Q: Can you talk a little bit about working on Fanboys and Forgetting Sarah Marshall in your film career?

A: Oh wow. Two of the best experiences over the last few years of my life. Fanboys because it was a lot of my friends involved in it. And that sort of - it really introduced me to the world of Fanboys which I now love and respect so much. It was a bunch of Star Wars obsessed guys that - and I was the only girl in the movie. And we had so much fun, I kind of can’t wait for it to come out. And plus we get to work with like a lot of people cameoed from Star Wars like Billy Dee Williams. So it was a great experience. And then certainly to be a part of when (Jed Appatow) tells me at this - (really) that this point in his career is kind of a dream come true. And now I’m really happy to call those people my friends. And I hope to be one of the people that they - one of the improv artists they draw upon in the future that can be a part of (unintelligible).

Veronica Mars mentions

Q: You were Veronica Mars for so long, I wonder do you feel - do you really miss her?Do you miss playing her or were you just sort of ready to move on?

A: So badly, so badly. I mean I miss the crew. I miss the writers. I miss actually playing the character because there was a certain ease you get when you - like, you know, when you’ve been at a job for a while and you just feel like it clicks? And you have a character like that that you’ve worked with for so long, there’s a certain part of you that is a little bit her and she’s a little bit you. And it just - it’s not only easy after a while, but it’s really fun.

Q: I’m just wondering if any of your former cast mates from Veronica Mars has prodded you about your new role and how much…

A: Oh my God, every single one of them -- every single one of them. They - we were talking about it this morning because I was having - or breakfast with Ryan Hansen who’s (unintelligible). And he of course has asked me all the questions. And we watched last night and they were all - everybody sort of texted me, was really excited because the editors and (Kim) sort of made it a really big deal at the end of the show that I was coming on. And I was so flattered, so flattered. But our whole crew watched the show. So I get a lot of text. And I kind of like to hold it over their head, I’m not going to lie. And it’s kind of exciting to go like ‘well, why don’t you just watch’. And they’re like oh Kristen.

Q: Soon you’re going to appear before millions of people worldwide and you’re not playing a teen, yeah. Is that relief? And do you hope that your Veronica Mars stance will move along with you, move on with you?

A: Yes, I certainly hope so. I have always played about ten years younger than I am which is a major blessing just even in real life. My family’s very petite and I have a young looking face and good genes I guess. I’m thankful to my parents. That being said, as an actor there are certain things that I’m going through in my own life in my late 20s that, you know, I’m experiencing. And, you know, that’s what you draw upon in your acting. And so I hope that I’ll be accepted as playing closer to my age. I know that I still look a lot younger. But I’m thankful to sort of be out of teenageville a little bit. Because I don’t dislike it at all. I’ve just had my fill of it. I’ve had a lot of it.

Q: Good morning. Kristen, you’re really a fantastic actress. You can pick and choose to work in any platform. What is it about doing television and Heroes in particular that is attractive to you creatively?

A: Oh wow. Well what attracted me to Heroes was the fact that when I caught the season premiere it was just so engulfing it’s like I couldn’t think about anything else. I mean when I’m telling you it was the water cooler conversation, I’m not kidding. Like we would come into Veronica Mars and like the entire camera crew would stand around. It’d be like, ‘yeah, but did you see what happened last night and did you see who Claire’s father is’. Like there are hooks that people are able to sink into you when telling a story that I think Tim has mastered and I think Rob Thomas mastered for the, you know, the much smaller but certainly avid viewers that we had on Veronica Mars. It makes you want to be involved, you know. And I think they’re also really smart shows and they’re a little harder to follow which I really expect. Because when you treat the audience like an intelligent member, they’re - you know, you tend to attract intelligent viewers. The medium’s for me the difference. I mean I certainly love and miss theater. Film is so much fun as well and it’s a little bit more like camp because you’re usually on location and you have a couple months of people that you get really close with and then it’s always sort of like end of the summer syndrome. With TV I really like the security. And I like the sense of family. I mean I like knowing who I work with. I work in this business because I like performing and I also really like the creative relationships. And I think coming to work with people that you love and being able to see them on a daily basis is a really special thing. And not that many people get to absolutely love what they do. And I’m lucky to be one of those people.

Other Heroes info

Q: How did it work out that you’re doing this wonderful show to begin with? Did you reach out to Tim Kring? Did the show reach out to you? And were you a fan of the show even before the opportunity came up?

A: I was a huge fan of the show. I watched it from its premiere episode. And I joked with the writers that Heroes was the water cooler conversation that Veronica Mars on set. And they had said that in many individual writer circles, Veronica Mars is the water cooler conversation now when they were working at Heroes. I think it was - I’ve certainly put feelers out there during ComiCon and let them know what a fan I was of the show I think with the secret hopes that one day I could be a part of it. And then I was just - it was ultimate flattery when they (came forward) and said we might have something for you to do.

Q: I know that Heroes has kind of like this mysterious element and there’s so many hardcore fans that always want to know leaks to the story lines. How do you kind of try to keep quiet about the storylines and then people have had to like come up to you and ask you to leak anything?

A: Yeah, of course. I mean everybody - I mean even amongst the cast, everybody’s always asking everybody else who has more information. And unfortunately going into it, maybe I just had a big old smile on my face or maybe you could just sense it, but I had a substantial amount of information and sort of all the other cast members were trying to (pick) it out of me. But I think I did a pretty good job of just smiling through it and knowing that I was lucky enough to have been told a little bit where my character was going or at least know her first arch. And it’s - you know, it’s hard because when you have secrets, of course you want to spill them. But you have to realize how important it is and how vital it is to keep them secrets and that it keeps your job and that it’s actually kind of fun when you know a little bit more information than everyone else.

Q: Kristen, you know, when I watched the preview yesterday for the new episode I had a weird flashback to when you were on Deadwood. Because when you show up on Deadwood you were this sweet innocent little girl and then we had that great ‘I’ve got a f-ing knife’ scene. And there - I was thinking about how, you know, so many of the fans of Veronica Mars have seen you for three years as, you know, the good guy, the go-getter who’s really fighting for the little guy. And then we’re going to have you as Elle as this new character who’s a lot more sinister. What do you expect a lot of your fans and the Veronica Mars fans, how do you expect them to react when they see this character? Do you interact with them a lot?

A: Well one thing I will say about Veronica Mars fans, they are extremely interactive whether it is on a street corner or whether it is on a blog. They are definitely interactive. I hope everyone will have fun with it. I mean honestly, I’ve been having a blast with it. It’s kind of - it’s a little deeper character work when you have to really figure out someone’s intentions. Because I don’t even think evil characters are evil. They always think they’re doing something right. And it’s to get to that sort of conflicted what’s the difference between right and wrong kind of point which is fun and which is cool to work on as an actor. I mean I hope everybody’s going to have fun with it because I love rooting for the underdog but it’s also - stop. Sorry, speaking of underdog. But it’s also, you know, a lot of fun to play someone who’s a little crazy.

Bell’s comments on the Heroes cast

Q: I wanted to talk a little bit about your relationship with the cast before you joined. I spoke to Hayden recently and she said she’d known you since you were eight years old. Can you talk about that and if that informs the way you and the character of Claire get along?

A: Yeah, I mean I have known Hayden since he was eight. We met in New York. We had the same agent. I was substantially older than she was, but I was just starting college and met her. And she came to some plays that I did in New York. And she was - I mean she was a lovely little girl. And even then you could tell that there was something so alarmingly special about who she was and what she was going to be able to accomplish as a performer. Even at eight years old you could tell. It was right before she was - like Remember the Titans that she was so great in. And I’ve sort of kept up a relationship with her just socially. And having joined the cast now it’s been really nice because I think really good girlfriends are so rare to find in LA. And she’s a really cool honest girl. And so we’ve sort of become closer because of the show. And we always used to joke about trying to play sisters or friends in a project. And so, you know, we might not be either of those in this show, but it’s still fun to get to work together.

Q: Was it difficult or maybe intimidating for you to join a cast that had already been working together since the show’s beginning and kind of had already gelled and kind of had their dynamic? Was that hard to jump into that and be a part of it?

A: Kristen Bell: There was anxiety and nerves certainly, but nothing about it has been hard. They are some of the nicest people I’ve really ever worked with. And having had social relationships with a few of them, I’ve sort of heard through the grapevine what a great job it was, not just an excellent show, but actually really fun to be a part of and an ensemble that really supports each other. And I think that, you know, to find that many good people in one setting is really hard to find. But clearly that speaks to what comes down through the grapevine like starting with Tim. And every time you join a different job or a different show I feel like it kind of feels like you’re changing schools like when you’re in high school. It’s that kind of anxiety, like is everyone going to like me? Is this going to be fun? Am I going to do well? And the warmth that I was greeted with, it felt like I was starting a school that all my friends already went to.
Tim Kring: I’ll - let me just add to that, that, you know, one of the interesting things that should be noted here is that there was a kind of circle of people that - around Kristen and the show Heroes of the - all these common relationships. Kristen had known several of the cast members and some for years and years with real long-term relationships.

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Kristen Bell dishes her new Heroes role

I just got off the phone with the newest addition to Heroes, Kristen Bell, and the show’s executive producer Tim Kring. They had plenty to say about Bell’s upcoming role, previewed on last night’s Heroes.

Bell is signed on for 13 episodes to play Elle, she said. But don’t expect her to be the sweet young girl that we’re used to seeing Bell portray.

“She's a little messed up in the head, which makes her manipulative and out to get what she wants," Bell said of her new character. “She very much enjoys her power and the emotional power it gives her over other people."

Kring explained that Elle was raised by the Company, which is a different experience than the other heroes have had.

“This is in some ways a cautionary tale about what would happen to any of our characters had they lived with powers their whole life," Kring said.

Elle will have ties to HRG, Claire and Suresh, Bell said.

As for the large, growing cast that has some fans concerned, the style of the show lends itself to flux, Kring said.

“The audience should fully expect to see people leaving,” he explained.

I asked Bell if she had watched her former Veronica Mars co-star Jason Dohring on his new show Moonlight and if she still kept in touch with her other co-stars. She said that she has Moonlight on her TiVo, but hasn’t watched it yet, and yes, she still keeps in touch with the Mars gang. In fact, she’d just had breakfast with Ryan Hansen (Dick) this morning.

Bell also discussed the widely reported news that she was going to join Lost. She said that there were discussions but she was never formally offered a role.

I’ll have a complete transcript of the interview up in the next day or two, so check back to hear Bell’s thoughts on everything from her “geeky guilty pleasure” to which superhero she’d like to be.

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Questions for Zach Braff and Kristen Bell?

Later today I’ll be chatting with two of my favorite TV personalities: Scrubs star Zach Braff and new Heroes star Kristen Bell, along with Scrubs executive producer Bill Lawrence and Heroes executive producer Tim Kring.

If you have questions for Braff, Bell, Lawrence or Kring, please leave them in the comments below. I could use your help for some really great questions.

Braff and Lawrence are doing press to promote the upcoming season of Scrubs that begins on October 25.

Bell and Kring are doing press to discuss Bell’s new role on Heroes, but I desperately want to ask Bell some questions about Veronica Mars and her stint on Gossip Girl. (Yes, I’m a bad Tube Talk Girl.)

Thanks for your help, Tubers. I’ll be sure to report the details from the conference calls.

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Reviews: Private Practice, Moonlight, and Chuck

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’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.


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.

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Tube News

Sherri Shepherd is joining The View as the new cohost, after all, according to the Associated Press. Barbara Walters will make the official announcement on Monday. Several months ago, Shepherd was reported to have won one of the empty hosting chairs, but contract negotiations apparently hit a snag. The snag apparently was resolved. Congrats to Shepherd.


The Emmys will open with a musical number, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But, it’s not clear whether host Ryan Seacrest will be singing. I think we all know where Simon stands on this idea.

Former President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary apparently love the FX show Damages. Bill mentioned his affection for the show during an interview on Extra. Damages is a legal drama about a ruthless and ambition litigator. Insert your own jokes here.

A new interview with two of my favorite TV stars is up at The Frat Pack. Kristen Bell and Jason Segel are starring in the upcoming Judd Apatow film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. They have plenty say about the movie and each other. The film doesn’t open until May 2008, but it’s never too early for a shameless plug.

That Girl, Marlo Thomas, is set to guest star on Ugly Betty this season, according to E!Online. Also, Coach himself, Craig T. Nelson, is joining My Name is Earl, as the warden at the Camden County Jail, E! is reporting. Is it just me, or does Coach’s pal “Luther” seem a better fit for the wacky Earl gang?

If you cringe when the Emmy nominees are announced, then you’ll probably enjoy E!’s Tater Top Awards. The awards are chosen by TV fans, i.e. you, and seem to better reflect the TV stars/shows we love. For example, Kristen Bell, of Veronica Mars, was voted the Drama Queen and Lost’s Kate and Sawyer’s earned a prize for Best Show of Skin and Best Kiss. And no, I didn't rig the ballot box.

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Smallville fans, if you haven’t completed your DVD set of past seasons, now is your chance. Amazon is offering past seasons for an incredible price, $23.99. I knew I should have waited for the DVD discount, but what can I say? I don’t always think clearly when Clark Kent is involved.

Desperate Housewives is about to get more interesting. The gardener is returning. Yes, cutie-patootie Jesse Metcalfe is headed back to Wisteria Lane, according to TV Guide. Apparently, he wants Gaby back. Hmmm…. where does that leave Carlos and her new husband?

It’s no secret that Kristen Bell can sing. Anyone who caught her stint on Broadway or her karaoke session on Veronica Mars knows that Bell has a killer voice. Now, she apparently is forming a band with TV star Clark Duke. They’re calling the band Kung-Fu Professor, New York Magazine is reporting. Love it!

Busy Philipps, of ER and Dawson’s Creek fame, is set to guest star on How I Met Your Mother. She’ll play, as you may have guessed, one of Ted’s dates. Between Mandy Moore, Danica McKellar, and Busy, Ted is going to one busy guy this season.

Kevin Smith fans, check out this interview with Smith about his new gig: directing the CW show Reaper. I just watched the pilot for Reaper and it’s great!


The ABC Family drama Lincoln Heights will premiere on Tuesday, September 4th at 8 p.m. ET. I don’t watch the show, but I know some of you do. So, enjoy.

Smallvile’s Allison Mack was voted TV Choice Sidekick at the Teen Choice Awards. Congrats, Allison. You’re our favorite sidekick, too.

Rosie O’Donnell will not be appearing on Friday Night Lights, TV Guide is reporting. O’Donnell was reported to be playing the role of a soccer coach, but apparently the gig didn’t work out.

Jason Alexander will join his fellow former Seinfeld co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus on The New Adventures of Old Christine as a guest star. No date has been released.

Scott Baio is 45…and Single is a hit. The show is being renewed for next year, despite that Baio is no longer single. He’s engaged. The show ranked among the top 10 basic cable programs in its time slot, with an average of 1 million viewers in the key 18-49 demo, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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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’s Cyrano. 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’s Michael 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.)

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House real-life sweethearts Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison have called off their engagement, after eight months, according to E!Online. I just know House is behind this.

Kathie Lee Gifford is returning to Live with Regis and Kelly to celebrate the show’s 20 years on the air. The anniversary celebration is a two-week event beginning Sept. 3. Admit it, you’re looking forward to hearing about Cody and Cassidy’s teenaged foibles.

If you want to see photos of Price is Right host Drew Carey’s injured arm, then ET has them. But, use caution, the photos are nasty. Who knew the grocery game could be so brutal? Carey inured himself on set during a rehearsal.

Dancing With the Stars will have another athlete in the cast this year. Boxer “Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather Jr. will compete for the mirror-ball trophy, according to E!Online. Len and Bruno, you have been warned.

Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell has heard the rumors of a Veronica Mars movie, but it hasn’t been discussed with her, according to the MTV Movies Blog. Um, Rob Thomas, what are you waiting for?

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Veronica Mars won’t get Lost

Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell won’t be heading to Lost this fall, despite an offer from the show, TV Guide reported.

Last week, rumors were swirling that Bell would take on the role of Charlotte, a precocious, loquacious young woman.

Bell’s representative gave no reason for her turning down the Lost gig, but TV Guide is implying that she didn’t want to move to Hawaii and that she may be booking a Broadway show later this year.

If Bell goes to the Great White Way, I’ll be the first to book a ticket to New York City. And no, it’s not because I’m hoping Logan Echolls will be in the audience.

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Is Veronica Mars headed to Lost?

Now I’m not one to go ‘round spreading rumors. Really. I’m just not the gossiping kind. But this time, I’m making an exception. This TV scoop is just too good not to share.

TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello is reporting that Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell’s name has “been brought up” for the new role of Charlotte on Lost. The casting information for the character describes Charlotte as "precocious, loquacious and funny... a very successful academic who also knows how to handle herself in the real world.”

That sounds a lot like Veronica Mars. No one does loquacious, funny and precocious better than the lovely Ms. Bell.

I’m torn about this news, frankly. Bell deserves a meaty role, and Lost is such an ensemble show I fear she wouldn’t get much screen time to shine. However, being on one of television’s most popular shows may finally get her the much-deserved attention she deserves. (Yes, I’m talking to you Emmy voters.)

Only time will tell, if Bell will be cooling her heels on the beaches of Hawaii. If she lands there, I can ‘t wait to hear her saucy response to Saywer’s infamous line to new characters, “Who the hell are you?”

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Rob Thomas exits new ABC show

Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas has sad goodbye to the new ABC show Miss/Guided due to creative differences, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Thomas was hired as the show runner and executive producer, but reportedly did not like the direction the sitcom was headed.

Instead, he has inked a development with ABC.

Frankly, I was looking forward to Miss/Guided simply because of Thomas’ involvement. I've been a fan of his since his days writing Dawson's Creek.

As for Miss/Guided, I’m not sure what to think.

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Jason Dohring to play a vampire on CBS

It’s not a stretch to picture Jason Dohring playing a brooding vampire. His stint as Veronica Mars’s troubled boyfriend has given him plenty of emo experience.

Dohring has just been cast in the new CBS drama Moonlight.

He’ll play Josef, an ancient vampire who is a “mischievous hedge-fund trader,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Dohring replaced 60-year-old Rade Serbedzija, who played the character in the pilot presentation.

Moonlight is the story of a private-detective vampire named Mick. Hmmm….a private detective who is a vampire? That sounds a lot like my beloved Angel.

Honestly, I hadn’t planned on watching Moonlight, until I heard that Dohring was joining the show. Sealing the deal is the news that former Angel co-creator David Greenwalt is one of the Moonlight show runners. OK, I’m in!

Longtime readers know my affection or the too-soon cancelled Angel. I often wondered if it would have garnered more ratings and respect had it aired on one of the big four networks, instead of The WB. I guess we’ll see how CBS viewers take to a show about vampires, assuming that the show is good.

Kudos to CBS for trying something new this season, instead of their typical procedural crime dramas. And kudos to casting for landing Dohring.

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Veronica Mars season 3 DVDs

Yes, Veronica Mars fans, I know your hearts are still breaking over the cancellation of this under-appreciated show. Perhaps this will ease the pain a little.

The season three DVD set is scheduled for release on Oct. 23, according to TV Shows on DVD.

The six-DVD set will have some fun extra features, including commentaries with creator Rob Thomas, a gag reel, and a Making-Of feature for the CW pitch presentation with Veronica in the FBI.

Start saving your cash. The retail price is $59.99.

I was hoping we’d get some cast commentaries on this one with Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring. But, I guess we’ll take what we can get. As Mars fans know, the extras have always been skimpy on the DVD sets. At least we’re getting a gag reel this time.

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Veronica Mars fans turn efforts to charity

Veronica Mars fans are a motivated bunch. After the initial campaign of flooding the CW with Mars candy bars and marshmallows to try and bring the show back from cancellation, the fans are now turning their attention to a charity campaign for Invisible Children.

An episode of Veronica Mars featured a story about a child soldier in Africa, and fans have jumped on board to raise money for the Invisible Children fund by selling t-shirts.

Five dollars of every t-shirt sold goes to the cause. Check out the t-shirt designs here.

For more information on the Invisible Children fund, visit this Web site.

Meanwhile, here’s some information about the charity from our favorite blonde detective and the boys.

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TV’s Best Dads

Television dads usually fit in two categories: perfect, advice-doling successful professionals or lazy, buffoons at the mercy of their more perfect wives and families. The best ones, however, usually combine elements from both categories.

Let’s face it, no one’s perfect, and television’s best dads often don’t get it right either, (therein lies the humor.) But the beauty is that they keep trying to guide their children with the wisdom of their mistakes and the knowledge that supposedly, father knows best.

In honor of Father’s Day, I turn the spotlight on some of my favorite fathers of the small screen. Any of these worthy men could claim the title of Television’s Best Dad.

Cliff Huxtable, The Cosby Show – Every kid in the ‘80s wanted Dr. Huxtable as a father. He was funny and fun-loving, stern without being preachy, and he wore those multi-colored sweaters that made him the best-dressed dad on the block. Whether he was teaching Theo to win back his girlfriend by singing the blues ("Justine! Justine!"), or conducting a funeral for Rudy’s pet goldfish, Lamont, in order to help her through the grief, Cliff always seemed to know how to fix any situation.

Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch – Mike was the perfect “dreamy” dad for girls who grew up in the ‘70s. He was a handsome architect, who was tough but understanding. Daughter Marcia was so impressed with her stepfather that she nominated him for Father of the Year in a local newspaper contest. He won, of course. (Hey, he should have, considering he was raising six children on one salary and still had time to offer advice on everything from boyfriends to sibling rivalry to education.) No doubt, Mike was a groovy dad, and he had the plaid pants to prove it.

Howard Cunningham, Happy Days – Known simply as Mr. C to the ever-present motley crew of guests at the Cunningham house, Howard was a father figure to not only Joanie and Richie, but Ralph, Potsie and Fonzie, too. Mr. C was a hard-working father of the ‘50s, who ran his hardware store and expected the pot roast to be on the table for dinner when he got home. That didn’t make him any less likeable. Mr. C gave good advice to his children and their friends in such a jovial manner that even tough-guy Fonz looked to him as a solid role model. (For the record, I’m pretty sure Mr. C cautioned him against jumping the shark.)

Homer Simpson, The Simpsons – Clearly, Homer isn’t the smartest dad on television. But, just because he put the “D’oh” in dolt, doesn’t mean he doesn’t make an effort in loving his kids. What other TV father would choose to jump a ravine the size of The Grand Canyon on a skateboard, just to show Bart how potentially dangerous and ridiculous the stunt was? Sure, Homer forgets to pick his kids up from after-school activities sometimes, but at the end of the day, the Simpson kids know they’re loved. The simple fact that Homer’s kids never seem to age automatically qualifies him as one of TV’s best dads. You try putting up with smart aleck adolescent Bart Simpson for 15 years.

Tim Taylor, Home Improvement – Tim “The Toolman” Taylor was a klutzy guy with a fetish for cars, power tools and needling his flannel-wearing assistant Al. Tim parented with humor, and it seemed to work. His three boys saw him as a friend and a father. Perhaps Tim’s best parenting quality is that he bucked the trend of former TV dads who always seemed to have all the answers. When Tim was stumped as to what to do in a situation, which was often, he sought help at his backyard fence. (“Hi-de-ho, neighbor” Dr. Wilson!) Tim showed fathers everywhere that it’s OK not to always know the right thing to do. Simply trying to figure things out was enough.

Jason Seaver, Growing Pains – The original Mr. Mom, Dr. Jason Seaver worked at home, so his wife could be a journalist. Jason had a tough job trying to juggle his psychiatry patients, while dealing with slacker son Mike (think Bart Simpson in human form) and the rest of his brood. Whether helping daughter Carol confront her weight issues, bailing Mike out of his latest scrape or parenting Ben and Chrissy, Jason never faltered as a father. Hmmm, on second thought, perhaps he was self-medicating.

Danny Tanner, Full House – This single dad had a “full house” of young girls to raise, after his wife was killed in a car accident. Danny was overwhelmed at the onset and was smart enough to get help, in the form of extended family Uncle Jesse and his best friend Joey. What evolved was a house full of love that fostered fun times, despite the tragic loss of a parent. Danny gave single fathers everywhere a good name.

Keith Mars, Veronica Mars – Every girl dreams of having a dad so cool he can banter by day and solve mysteries by night. Keith Mars was a detective and a sheriff, but I’m sure he’d want to be remembered for his most important role: father. Single-handedly guiding precocious daughter Veronica through her traumatic teen years was no easy feat. But, Keith gave Veronica respect, an ear to listen, a shoulder when she needed it, courage to make the right decisions, and forgiveness when she didn’t. The fact that he compromised his own morals and hid evidence to save her from being implicated in a crime earns Keith a spot on the best dad’s list. Plus, no one does sarcasm like Keith Mars.

Sandy Cohen, The O.C. – His eyebrows were legendary and often a point of ridicule for his sons, but Sandy Cohen didn’t mind. His humor was one of his best parenting tools. Sandy set a fine example as a father. Despite his wealth, he wasn’t satisfied simply with writing a check to charity; He brought charity home, opening his house and his heart to abused teen Ryan. Sandy became the father Ryan always wanted. (And who could blame him?) Sandy ran a tight ship, but not one that made his boys afraid to call him no matter the situation. Whether he was surfing with the boys or schmearing a bagel while dispensing fatherly wisdom, Sandy ranks as one of the coolest dads ever on the tube.

Mitch Leery, Dawson’s Creek – In the ‘90s, Mitch Leery gave fathers everywhere a wake-up call. Not only did he have frank discussions about sex and relationships with his son, he taught Dawson to follow his dreams. The fact that Dawson could talk to his dad no matter the subject was refreshing. Mitch once gave Dawson a blow-by-blow tutorial on kissing to prepare the teen for his first smooch. (Mitch recommended Chapstick.) Dawson wasn’t the only person crying the night Mitch was killed in an auto accident. It was a blow for fathers everywhere.



For Tube Talk Girl's list of TV's Best Mom's click here.

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