Category Archives: Entertainment

This week in NEW TV: ‘Terra Nova’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

::SUNDAY::

Give this pilot episode a chance: Pan Am (ABC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad (FOX, 8PM-10PM)

::MONDAY::

Terra Nova — FOX — 8PM

The high budget sci-fi series involving time-travel and dinosaurs from Steven Speilberg, Peter Chernin, and Brannon Braga premieres Monday night. FOX is promoting it as a “TV event” since the pilot runs two hours long. With such a high pedigree behind it, a promise for spectacular visuals and special effects, and an intriguing premise (man is sent back in time to prehistoric Earth in an attempt to save a futuristic, disintegrating human race), Terra Nova is sure to please genre fans and pique the mass viewer’s interest.

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Reminder: 2 Broke Girls airs at its regular 8:30PM slot Monday night.

::WEDNESDAY::

Returning show you should be watching: Happy Endings (ABC, 9:30PM)

[Images via IGN]

FRINGE FRIDAY returns tonight at 9PM on FOX

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The wait is finally over. Fringe begins its fourth season tonight on FOX. And the question on everybody’s mind is Where is Peter Bishop? Though showrunners J.H. Wyman and Jeff Pinkner would never spoil that for fans, they did talk with the press recently to ramp up excitement for the new season. Here are some choice quotes for you to munch on before things get rolling at 9PM.

Wyman and Pinkner went back and forth reiterating the importance of Peter. Wyman: “Just because he [Peter] doesn’t exist doesn’t mean that those three years we’ve invested all didn’t happen. It did happen. And it will all unfold itself for you to understand what context I’m speaking.” Pinkner: “Look, Peter is part of the DNA of the show. We’ve done some pretty crazy things in the past where people were always like, ‘Well, wait a minute. Why are they doing that? What’s going on?’ Hopefully in season four, people will trust us enough to realize that we are doing things for a reason. To sort of have Fringe without Peter in some way, shape or form is really not Fringe…The show constantly tries to recontectualize your perception of this story…The idea that Peter is gone — and, ultimately, he’s not permanently gone — is an opportunity to recontectualize the story and what we’ve seen again. It’s something we love to play with.”

Wyman explained that the new season will tell a story about “how are these universes going to work together to heal their joint damage now that they have a means to do so…This offered us a good opportunity to…watch how the two Olivias are looking at problems very differently. It goes back to our major theme: Our experiences are who we are.” Standalone Fringe cases will take place in our universe, the alt-universe, and some will overlap in both universes over the course of the season.

The duo went on to give hints about else we can expect from the upcoming season.

  • Pinkner talked about now-series regular Seth Gabel, who plays Lincoln Lee. “We’re kind of in love with the theme of having this guy come in and have to go into a very strange world and [realize] that everything he thought was true is no longer valid. He’s going to have to put back together a psyche that has been sort of fractured by this knowledge that he really shouldn’t have.”  Added Wyman, “He brings us a certain thematic element that we really needed to tell this year. A lot of the things his character will be going through will help us tell our story. One of the themes we’re really interested in getting into this year is the impact we have on each other’s lives. We’re defined by the connections we make, and who we know, and who knows us, and how we define other people.”
  • “There will be returning faces,” Pinkner said. “We hate to spoil things, but there will be characters that you’ll be delighted to see again, hopefully some that you’ll be surprised to see again, and some you may have seen before that come back in a completely different context.”
  • The opening title sequence is a new color: orange! “The significance of the color is simply just to put out the notion that this is the universe without Peter in it.”  “It’s a different chapter,” added Wyman.
  • “Walternate, despite all promises to the contrary, is still a bad guy manipulating things behind the scenes. So that’s another story we’re going to be delving into,” said Wyman.
  • Hope you enjoyed season two’s “Brown Betty” musical and season three’s “LSD” animation trip because Wyman hints there’s another episode coming up “that’s off the beaten track.”
  • Get ready for some super freaky cases this year. Shares Wyman, “We have a slew of really crazy, hopefully thought-provoking, far-out cases that deal with time travel, out-of-control biology, and humans who either for very understandable and sometimes not so understandable reasons, are messing with the rules of nature and the rules of physics. This year…more than any other year, we have some mind-blowing standalone stories. Because ‘over there’ is so messed up, and over here is a little suspicious as well right now, it gives us carte blanche to push our imaginations to the hilt and see some really cool things realized.”

And there you have it. Fringe season four is ready to fire on all cylinders. Before it begins, take the time to watch FOX’s 12-part recap series “Past + Present + Future” on YouTube. Whether you’re new to the series or just want to brush up on everything Fringe, these collection of videos will take you on an exciting journey spanning all three seasons of the fantastic sci-fi series. Prepare for your mind to be blown.

Bonus! Look after the break to learn about the brand new DC Comic based on the show Beyond the Fringe.

[Via EW; TVLine] Continue reading FRINGE FRIDAY returns tonight at 9PM on FOX →

Terry O’Quinn wants to work with Michael Emerson again; ‘Odd Jobs’, where are you?

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Hey guys remember Odd Jobs? The tentitively-titled show from J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, and writers Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec that aimed to reunite Lost‘s Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn? Shortly after NBC committed to making a pilot, the buddy-cop show was shelved indefinitely as Emerson went on to star in CBS’ Person of Interest and O’Quinn found himself in Marc Cherry’s next ABC program Hallelujah (which is now being retooled for next season) and a multi-episode arc on Hawaii Five-0.

Recently EW caught up with O’Quinn and asked him if he sees himself ever working with the man who played Benjamin Linus again. Though the name Odd Jobs and the pedigree surrounding it never came up, the beloved John Locke said this: “I was actually looking to do a series after Lost. Michael and I fiddled around with one and we sort of got through the process of generating some interest in it, and we just didn’t come up with a script that everyone agreed on. Michael and I stay in touch; we still talk about that. Maybe we’ll make it happen before we get too creaky. I would love to have at least one more good experience like Lost.”

So perhaps Odd Jobs will break out of limbo and make it to network TV one of these days. Today we’ll just have to manage with the two guys acting on different shows on the same network.

Update: Michael Emerson responds! He tells EW, “I feel very much the same way. I was very gratified to read that in the press. We’ve both told each other that even though there may be some bumps along the road, sooner or later, we’re going to work together.” Yippee!

[Via EW]

Music video: Sara Bareilles – “Gonna Get Over You”

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Sara Bareilles’ Kaleidoscope Heart is still beating strong. “Gonna Get Over You,” the latest single off her third studio album, just got the music video treatment and it’s a doozy. Bareilles, typically a relatively reserved singer-songwriter, busts a move in this wonderfully choreographed and colorful clip. It features a dolled up Bareilles playing dance-tag (you’ll see what I mean) inside a Spanish market. The song, like most of her others, is catchy, upbeat, and worthy of repeat listening. And in this specific case, repeat viewing. Bareilles never looked so good. Fun fact: actor Jonah Hill makes his directorial debut here.

Chris Hardwick to host live after-show “Talking Dead” on AMC

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So you know that feeling after you watch an episode of The Walking Dead and you want to burst out in excitement about just how awesome that episode really was? Well AMC is giving you an outlet to do that. Prepare for (what for it) Talking Dead, a live after-show to be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (Web Soup, Attack of the Show). According to a press release the show “features Hardwick spending time with fans, actors, producers and tv enthusiasts, recapping that most recent Dead episode, and taking questions and comments from viewers. Fans may continue to engage with the Aftershow following the on-air conclusion, online, at amctv.com for more conversations, questions and trivia.”

Says fanboy Hardwick: “As an enormous fan of both The Walking Dead comic and television show, I pretty much begged for this job. I’m fairly certain I slobbered on the phone while doing it. Dissecting the moves of Rick Grimes and the remaining survivors after every episode is something I would be doing with my friends anyway, so the fact that AMC is actually paying to do so is a bonus. This half-hour after-show gives fans the opportunity to nerd out about the story in a very public forum: what they like, what they don’t like, or what questions they may have. Additionally, it will better inform viewers on making intelligent decisions when faced with the zombie apocalypse which will probably happen sooner or later.”

Adds AMC’s Joel Stillerman: “Fans of The Walking Dead are incredibly engaged with every aspect of the show. They tweet, blog, and post comments in very large numbers, and we wanted to give them an opportunity to interact with the show in a way that they don’t currently have – a kind of live water cooler. And, we knew we needed a great host, and are thrilled to have Chris Hardwick on board. He is genuinely knowledgeable about the genre, and truly entertaining.”

So there you have it. Now here’s how it’ll air. Talking Dead will debut immediately following the encore airing of The Walking Dead season 2 premiere (that is on Sunday, October 16) and then beginning on Friday, November 4th it’ll follow TWD‘s encore at 11PM.

[Via Nerdist; image via Flickr]

FOX officially picks up Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’

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We all knew it was going to happen, but now it’s official: FOX has picked up Touch, a new series from creator Tim Kring (Heroes) and starring Kiefer Sutherland (24), to series for a midseason debut. The network has ordered a 13-episode arc expected to premiere in the spring of 2012.

Fox prez Kevin Reilly on the pickup: “Touch is another ambitious series from Tim Kring that is beautifully executed and has incredibly resonant themes for our times. With Kiefer back on the network as the face and force behind this creative new series, I’m confident it will resonate with viewers this spring.”

Adds Sutherland: “Every once in a while, you encounter a piece of material that you just cannot say no to. That, combined with the opportunity to work again with Peter Chernin and the Fox studio and network, makes me thrilled to be a part of this project. I also look forward to working with an extraordinary writer and producer like Tim Kring.”

Need to be reminded of what Touch is all about? The latest press release describes it like this: “Touch is a distinct and colorful drama in which science and spirituality intersect with the hopeful premise that we are all interconnected, tied in invisible ways to those whose lives we are destined to alter and impact.” Hop after the break to read a juicier plot description. Touch stars Sutherland, David Mazouz, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Danny Glover. Kring, Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants, I Am Legend), Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, Sutherland, Suzan Bymel, and Carol Barbee serve as executive producers; Lawrence helmed the pilot.

[Via Deadline] Continue reading FOX officially picks up Tim Kring’s ‘Touch’ →

Trailer: ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’

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Check out this extended trailer for the upcoming US version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Though it’s not as zippy as the original teaser, the story based on the best-selling crime novel by the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson is explored further here. In this nearly 4-minute trailer audiences are properly introduced to Rooney Mara’s Lisbeth Salander and Daniel Craig’s Mikael Blomkvist. The cast is stacked with talent, and based on what we’ve seen so far this first chapter of the Millennium series is going to make a giant star out of Mara. What a roundabout in her appearance from David Fincher’s last film The Social Network, huh?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens wide December 21, 2011. And just in case the trailer is removed from YouTube, watch it in HD at Apple.

Jason Mraz releases new track “The World As I See It”

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It’s been a long while since Mr. A to Z released new music. Since dropping his third studio album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. in 2008, Mraz has been touring the world and managed to slip in the five-track Life Is Good EP in 2010. Though the new track is not an official single off his next album (which is expected to release in early 2012), it should still excite you because it’s a never-heard-before song from the acoustic-loving crooner. “The World As I See It” serves as the theme for the “In Search of Incredible” campaign headed by Mraz and tech companies Asus and Intel. The project “seek[s] the most amazing stories from around the world” and you can find out more about it at this website. Listen to the track above, download it at iTunes, and collect the geometrically-inclined artwork after the break. Continue reading Jason Mraz releases new track “The World As I See It” →

Kid Cudi pieces together his life of fame in latest Complex cover story

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Rapper Kid Cudi finds himself on the cover of Complex Magazine for the third time in so many years. In this latest cover story interview with Complex editor-in-chief Noah Callahan-Bever, Cudi opens up about his murky past consisting of drinking and smoking, how things have changed for the better managing a sober lifestyle, and the inspiration behind playing guitar and forming the Wizard album. You can read the interview in full right here; below I’ve copied a couple of standout moments.

When asked about why he spend so much time with fellow rapper Kanye West: “I was at another place, another dark place. Me and my girl had broken up. I wasn’t fully healed yet. And being around Kanye and music was my escape. He’s a sober guy, he has a drink every once in a while, but seeing how he throws himself into the studio when he’s stressing about something, I totally admire that. Being around that was therapy for me.”

When asked to look two years into the future: “I’m always going to be working on something because I have too many ideas. Every day I come up with some wild fucking idea, some type of scheme. I feel like I have a purpose and if I don’t create then I’m letting myself down. I’ve been given this opportunity for people to listen to me worldwide. I’m just gonna fucking keep rocking and keep rocking and keep rocking until I’m in a wheelchair somewhere.”

Browse pictures from the photoshoot below, and watch some behind-the-scenes action after the break.

[Via Complex; DatNewCudi] Continue reading Kid Cudi pieces together his life of fame in latest Complex cover story →

This week in NEW TV: ‘2 Broke Girls’, ‘New Girl’, ‘The X Factor’ & ‘Person of Interest’

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Last year I posted my Fall TV Preview. This time around I’m breaking that idea in pieces with a new kind of post called This week in NEW TV. Essentially they will serve as expanded versions of my usual TV Reminders. These posts will crop up through October as new TV shows premiere this fall. I will recommend new shows to watch and remind you when returning favorites are coming back. If you want a broader overview of all the new series airing on the big four networks, check out 2011-12 Upfronts coverage.

::MONDAY::

2 Broke Girls — CBS — 9:30PM

Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs star in this new sitcom that’s got a ton of positive buzz. They are being described as a young, female version of the odd couple; Dennings has street smarts and works two jobs just get by, while Behrs is a spoiled princess who’s being forced to work the waitress job due to a string of bad luck and misfortune in her life. The writing is supposedly stellar and the comedic situations that are set up each week are easily relatable: these girls are living in a bad economy and we get to watch them duke it out as minimum wage waitresses to survive. Trailer after the break. (Note: After this week 2 Broke Girls will air in its normal Monday night slot at 8:30PM.)

Give this pilot episode a chance: The Playboy Club (NBC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: Hawaii Five-0 (CBS, 10PM); Castle (ABC, 10PM)

Charlie Sheen alert: Don’t forget the Roast of Charlie Sheen hosted by Seth MacFarlane airs Monday night at 9PM on Comedy Central. And if you’re interested to see how his Two and a Half Men replacement Ashton Kutcher performs, DVR the CBS sitcom; it also airs at 9PM.

::TUESDAY::

New Girl — FOX — 9PM

Zooey Deschanel is the New Girl and boy is she “adorkable.” The ads plastered all around town don’t have to tell us that. Much like 2 Broke Girls, this show has a lot of exciting positive buzz surrounding it. If there’s one new comedy you tune into this fall season, this is it. The 500 Days of Summer actress brings her enviable charm to the small screen, and we get to watch what happens when her character goes through a messy breakup and then moves into an apartment occupied by three guys. Fair warning: Deschanel can carry a tune and she will be showing off her skills more than once throughout the pilot and series. Are you bouncing up and down in anticipation? Relax–you can get a head start and download the pilot episode for free via iTunes right now. (Note: Damon Wayans Jr. appears in the pilot episode, but he gets replaced by Lamorne Morris after that. Why? Because ABC’s Happy Endings got renewed (thankfully) and he is obligated to remain on that show. New Girl will address the switcheroo.)

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Returning shows you should be watching: Glee (FOX, 8PM), Raising Hope (FOX, 9:30PM) …so basically Tuesday night you won’t need to change the channel–FOX comedies dominate.

::WEDNESDAY::

The X Factor — FOX — 8PM

Four words: Simon Cowell is back. And so is his Idol muse Paula Abdul. They will be joined by Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and former Def Jam CEO L.A. Reid at the judges table for this new singing competition imported from the UK. Sure it’s reality TV, but you cannot deny how much fun it is to watch Cowell destroy dreams. Get a lengthy 8-minute taste of what’s in store right here. (Note: British judge Cheryl Cole appears in the first half of the episode and then she vanishes. Don’t let your eyes play tricks on you.)

Give this pilot episode a chance: Revenge (ABC, 10PM)

Returning shows you should be watching: The Middle (ABC, 8PM, Glee‘s Chord Overstreet (Sam) guest stars in the 9/28 episode), Modern Family (ABC, 9PM, special 1 hour episode)

::THURSDAY::

Person of Interest — CBS — 9PM

From producer J.J. Abrams (Lost, Fringe) and writer Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) comes a show with an intricate plot shrouded in mystery and paranoia starring Lost‘s Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Christ himself Jim Caviezel. Really, need I say more? The story follows Caviezel, a presumed dead former-CIA agent, as he teams up with Emerson’s mysterious Mr. Finch to prevent crimes before they happen. Finch understands the ins and outs of the surveillance technology that’s installed inside every crevice of New York City, and he uses this information to his advantage to save lives. I was lucky enough to view the pilot at Comic Con earlier this summer, and I can say with full confidence that this show is not one to miss. It’s a classic, adrenaline-filled procedural with a Michael Emerson-fronted mythos attached. I mean, what more could you ask for?

Returning shows you should be watching: The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8PM); Community (NBC, 8PM), Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8:30PM), The Office (NBC, 9PM)

::FRIDAY::

Give this pilot episode a chance: A Gifted Man (CBS, 8PM)

Returning show you should be watching: Fringe (FOX, 9PM) Continue reading This week in NEW TV: ‘2 Broke Girls’, ‘New Girl’, ‘The X Factor’ & ‘Person of Interest’ →

2011 Emmy results: ‘Modern Family’ is king

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Last night Jane Lynch hosted the 63rd Primetime Emmys. Overall, Lynch proved to be a fun host. Her opening musical number featuring numerous TV celebs (Leonard Nimoy came out of retirement again to serve as “the President of TV”) tickled viewers’ funny bones and started things off right. Her zingers throughout the night (especially the one acknowledging her lesbianism) were downright hilarious. Her only fault has to be the New Jersey spoof she took part in; it was terribly boring and nearly all the jokes fell flat. Besides that, though, Lynch rocked it and the telecast went by smoothly and uncharacteristically speedy (except for maybe the mini-series/movies categories; that part tends to always drag on). Other exciting and fun moments from the night include: the two Jimmys of late night TV getting in a faux-fight; Ricky Gervais’ prerecorded bit about censorship; Charlie Sheen apologizing to the entire TV industry; The Office bit was outrageously funny in so many ways; and Amy Poehler pouncing onto the stage when her name was listed before the other Best Actresses in a Comedy nominees was priceless. Things that didn’t come across so well: the Emmy-Tones (Zacahary Levi, Cobie Smulders, Taraji P. Henson, Kate Flannery, Wilmer Valderrama, and Joel McHale seemed so stiff and the lyrics weren’t all that amusing); the Canadian Tenors rendition of “Hallelujah” was so-so; and that masked announcer was more of an annoyance than anything else as Emmy winners made their way to the stage.

Speaking of Emmy winners, let’s move on to those. Modern Family and Mad Men took home the top prizes for outstanding comedy and drama series, respectively, just as they did last year. And for those of you keeping count, Modern Family is 2 for 2 and Mad Men is an impressive 4 for 4. Other non-surprises of the night include The Daily Show with Jon Stewart winning Outstanding variety, music or comedy series for the ninth consecutive year and The Amazing Race winning Outstanding reality competition for the eighth time in nine years.

As spoiled in the post title, Modern Family walked away as this year’s Emmy victors. The ABC sitcom took home five statues for Outstanding supporting actor (Ty Burell), Outstanding supporting actress (Julie Bowen), Outstanding director (Michael Alan Spiller for the “Halloween” episode), Outstanding writing (Steve Levitan & Jeffrey Richman for the “Caught in the Act” episode), and of course Outstanding comedy series as mentioned above. Other notable comedy winners include… Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) stole the Outstanding lead actor award from Steve Carrell (The Office) and Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) beat out Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) for Outstanding lead actress.

In the drama categories, Mad Men interestingly did not take home any other awards in addition to their Outstanding drama series win. Friday Night Lights faded to black with two big wins: star Kyle Chandler was named Outstanding lead actor and creator Jason Katims was acknowledged for his writing. Other notable drama winners include…  Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) won Outstanding lead actress and Margo Martindale (Justified) nabbed the award for Outstanding supporting actress. And yes I’ve saved the best for last: Peter Dinklage was awarded Outstanding supporting actor for his phenomenal portrayal as Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister in HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Look after the break for the full list of winners. Continue reading 2011 Emmy results: ‘Modern Family’ is king →