Televisionary

Comic-Con 2009: Who's In?

2009-07-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

With the schedule for San Diego Comic-Con ever so slowly making its way onto the official website (Thursday and Friday are up so far with scheduling for more days to be announced soon), I thought I'd ask once again this year: who's in for Comic-Con 2009? Passes are once again impossible to purchase at this year's festival (with no on-site registration available for professions or press, no less), which boasts a lineup that includes panels for such series as Lost, True Blood, Chuck, Doctor Who, Flash Forward, V, Torchwood, 24, Bones, The Mighty Boosh, Eureka, Caprica, The Prisoner, Human Target, Dollhouse, Fringe, Psych, Stargate Universe, Smallville, Supernatural, Burn Notice, Robot Chicken, and a host of others. (Seriously, the list goes on and on this year.) For my part, I'll be covering as many panels and press rooms as humanly possible and reporting from the convention as long as the WiFi connection holds. (My must-see panels this year: Lost, Caprica/BSG, True Blood, Doctor Who, The Mighty Boosh, and Entertainment Weekly's Wonder Women: Female Power Icons in Pop Culture with Elizabeth Mitchell, Kristin Bell, and Sigourney Weaver. Unfortunately, the Chuck panel lets out at the same time that Lost begins, making it rather tricky to negotiate...) But I am curious to know: which panels are you attending and which are you most looking forward to? What are the must-have seats of this year's Comic-Con? Discuss and see you in San Diego!

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Domo Arigato, Mr. Sheriff Roboto: An Advance Review of the Return of Syfy's "Eureka"

2009-07-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

Throughout its run, Eureka, which returns tonight to Syfy with the first of its back ten episodes of Season Three, has more or less offered a safe haven on television: a rather cozy yarn about a quirky town of scientists whose inventions often improve--as much as threaten--the lives of the populace of this idyllic berg. That very relaxed, homey feel that so many of Eureka's fans gravitate towards often results in a decided lack of tension in the plots. And, you know what, that's okay. Not every series needs to be as mercilessly bleak as, say, The Shield. There's a place for a more homespun series that offers a winsome charm and snugness like Eureka. Season 3.5 of Eureka picks up right where we last saw Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) and the other assorted denizens of Eureka, with Jack cast out of his role as town sheriff, Jack's star-crossed would-be lover Allison (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) pregnant with her dead husband's child, and a surprised Henry (Joe Morton) taking over as mayor of Eureka. I had the opportunity last week to watch the first two episodes of Season 3.5 or Eureka ("Welcome Back Carter" and "Your Face or Mine") and was struck by the way that the series continues to go its own way, refusing to conform to expectations about serialized plotting or losing its inherent optimism and aw-chucks allure. This is a series that really shouldn't work and yet it does, even when it introduces some blatantly obvious solutions to the procedural mystery of the week...

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Channel Surfing: Jon Heder Lands Comedy Central Series, ABC Drops "Gravity" in August, Gregory Smith Mines "Copper," and More

2009-07-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. I was lucky enough to see an advance screening of upcoming film Julie & Julia last night and urge all you film-loving foodies to head out and watch it when it's released. Just make sure you eat beforehand! Comedy Central has ordered ten episodes of an untitled multi-camera comedy series starring Jon Heder (Blades of Glory, Napoleon Dynamite). Project, about an unemployed IT specialist who returns to his smalltown to move in with his parents and younger brother, will be written by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Chris Henchy. Series hails from Debmar-Mercury and Gary Sanchez and will have an initial run on Comedy Central; if it scores with audiences, another 90 installments will be automatically picked up with Comedy Central having the first window while Debmar-Mercury will sell the series into first-run syndication at the same time. (Variety) ABC has announced that it will launch FTVS' internationally produced drama series Defying Gravity, which it acquired last week, on August 2nd at 9 pm with a two-hour premiere. The week after, Defying Gravity will move into its regular timeslot Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT. Series, which stars Ron Livingston, Laura Harris, Malik Yoba, Christina Cox, Florentine Lahme, Paula Garces, Eyal Podell, Dylan Taylor, Andrew Airlie, Karen LeBlanc, Zahf Paroo, and Maxim Roy, revolves around four male and four female astronauts from five countries who are on a mysterious six-year international space...

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Every Heart Sings A Song: An Advance Review of Two Upcoming Episodes of FOX's "Glee"

2009-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

"If I'm going to sing like someone else, then I don't need to sing at all." - Billie Holiday Confession: I wasn't crazy about the pilot episode of FOX's Glee, which the network aired in May as a teaser for a full series launch, kicking off this fall on September 16th. But I'm an open-minded guy. So when FOX invited me to screen two episodes of Glee that will air this fall--the season opener ("Showmance") and the series' third episode ("Preggers")--I happily accepted the invitation in order to see if the series had fallen more in line with my own expectations of what it should be like. I'm happy to say that it has. These two episodes of Glee, each written and directed respectively by series creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, have a better balance of darkness and light, humor and pathos, and an abundance of dry wit that I found a better fit than the pilot episode. (Hell, it's rather hysterically raunchy at times.) Which isn't to say that Glee strays into the bleakness of Nip/Tuck territory because it doesn't. Tonally, these two installments display a better balance of cheerfulness and angst than displayed in the pilot episode and it's a balance that better suits my own cynical vantage point. Assisting in this delicate tightrope walk is the supremely talented Jane Lynch, who embodies the sinister Sue Sylvester with a, well, gleeful abandon. I felt that Sue was too shallowly drawn in the pilot and was bordering on cartoonish, but I take that back completely after...

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Spellbound: Illusion, Surprise, Mystery and Spectacle on "Top Chef Masters"

2009-07-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how excited I was that Top Chef Masters finally returned to the airwaves last night after a far-too long two week hiatus. The series has become a highlight in my telly-viewing week and last night's episode of Top Chef Masters ("Magic Chefs") was no exception as the four latest master chefs--Anita Lo, John Besh, Mark Peel, and Douglas Rodriguez--has to prepare a dinner for actor Neil Patrick Harris and his friends at Los Angeles' famed Magic Castle using the four elements of stage magic: surprise, illusion, spectacle, and mystery. I was a guest at the Magic Castle, a private club for professional magicians, about two weeks ago and fell in love with the quirky charms of the place, a former mansion turned clubhouse and multi-staged venue where magic reigns supreme. It was only fitting then that our master chefs should have this unique location to use as a backdrop for their most magical meal yet. So how did the cheftestants do? Let's discuss. Before the magic-themed dinner, the masters had to fight their way through the Quickfire Challenge, a repeat of a favorite Top Chef challenge in which the chefs have to prepare a perfectly cooked egg with one hand tied behind their back. The challenge, which recalls both Georges Auguste Escoffier and the more humbling aspects of this culinary competition series, really did put these chefs through their paces. I was surprised to see just how many of them really did underestimate the challenge at hand and didn't...

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BBC One Unveils Fall Schedule, Including "Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars" and New Season Of "Gavin & Stacey"

2009-07-09T07:50:00.000-07:00

BBC One announced their fall line up of programs today, which includes the third (and likely final season) of the award-winning comedy series Gavin & Stacey and the latest Doctor Who special starring David Tennant (entitled "The Waters of Mars"). Also on tap for UK viewers this autumn: a slew of other programming that includes a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, starring Romola Garai (Atonement), Jonny Lee Miller (Endgame, Melinda And Melinda), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter, Cranford), Tamsin Greig (Black Books, Green Wing), Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet), and Jodhi May (Einstein And Eddington, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard); the return of Peter Moffat's BAFTA-award winning thriller Criminal Justice, starring Maxine Peake, Matthew Macfadyen, Denis Lawson, Steven Mackintosh, Eddie Marsan, and Sophia Okonedo. Also announced: family drama Framed starring Waking the Dead's Trevor Eve and Torchwood's Eve Myles; period legal drama Garrow's Law; fashion drama Material Girl, starring Being Human's Leonora Crichlow, Doctor Who's Dervla Kirwan, and Love Soup's Michael Landes; five-episode sci-fi series Paradox; and an adaptation of Andrea Levy's romantic novel Small Island from Paula Milne. Below you'll find the official descriptions of both Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars and Gavin & Stacey's third season as well as a one-minute clip from Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars, which is expected to air in the UK in November. Doctor Who – The Waters Of Mars David Tennant returns as The...

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Channel Surfing: Miracle Laurie to Return for "Dollhouse" Season Two, Syfy Hunts for Next Big Space Opera, Terry Kinney Lured by "Mentalist," and More

2009-07-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. Dollhouse creator Joss Whedon will write and direct the second season opener of the FOX drama. Meanwhile, Miracle Laurie--who played November/Mellie in Season One of Dollhouse WILL be returning for the sophomore season... in some form, anyway. "All I know for sure is that I'm coming back next season," Laurie told the Baltimore Sun. "I don't actually know in what form I'll be back. The writers are kind of teasing me…everybody knows but me." (Baltimore Sun, Twitter) io9 speaks to Syfy vice president of original programming Mark Stern about the channel's rebrand and its promise to find the next big space opera along the lines of Battlestar Galatica or Firefly. "The next thing that I really want to do is find the next great space opera; it's been a long time," said Stern. "And we have Stargate, but that's really not that show. And Caprica isn't really that show. So where's the next Star Trek or Farscape? Let's find one of those... We don't want to do something that is the same old. You don't want it to feel recycled. So that's the challenge of doing that. I'm a huge fan of Firefly, and shows that take that idea and take that part of the genre and reinvent it in a whole new way. I'd love to find our version of, not specifically Firefly, but similar to what Joss [Whedon] tried to do with that in terms of, "lets recast the Western in space." Love that idea, and I love that show. What's another way to approach that?" (io9) The...

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(Watch) What Happens in Vegas: Bravo Announces Cast, Launch Date for "Top Chef: Las Vegas"

2009-07-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Best news of the day: Bravo has announced a launch date for the sixth season of Top Chef, entitled Top Chef: Las Vegas, and it's a hell of a lot earlier than I anticipated. Cabler Bravo announced this morning that it will kick off the sixth season of the culinary competition series on Wednesday, August 26th at 10 pm ET/PT and announced the seventeen-member cast for Top Chef: Las Vegas. Meanwhile, judges Tom Collichio, Gail Simmons, Toby Young, and host Padma Lakshmi are all on board for the Vegas-based edition and we can look forward to such guest judges as Natalie Portman, Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, Tyler Florence, Penn & Teller, and Nigella Lawson. (Yes, you read that correctly: NIGELLA LAWSON!!!) UPDATE: The full press release from Bravo, along with official bios for the Top Chef: Las Vegas contestants and video, can be found below. Video: Chef Introductions Get introduced to the chefs that will be competing on this season. Video: The Judges on the Sixth Season The judges share their thoughts on this exciting season in Las Vegas. THE "STEAKS" ARE HIGHER IN SIN CITY ON BRAVO'S "TOP CHEF: LAS VEGAS" WED. AUGUST 26 AT 9 PM ET/PT 17 New Chefs Rack It Up Along With Guest Judges And Stars Natalie Portman, Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, Tyler Florence, Penn & Teller And Nigella Lawson NEW YORK – July 8, 2009 – What happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas. The sixth season of the No. 1 food show on cable, Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series returns...

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Mind of the Modern Man: "Peep Show" Might Just Be the Best Comedy Series Not on US Telly

2009-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure why British comedy series Peep Show hasn't caught on like gangbusters here in the States. Created by Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, and Andrew O'Connor, Peep Show stars comedic duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb (of That Mitchell and Webb Look fame) as two flatmates who haven't quite come to grips with their adulthood, their manhood, or their tenuous grip on reality. BBC America aired the first two seasons of the painfully hilarious series a few years back and then stopped showing the series for some reason, even as it went on to film three additional seasons, with a sixth expected this fall and a seventh on track for next year. (Hulu, meanwhile, is currently streaming the first season of this hysterical series.) This summer, I decided to sit down and watch Peep Show's entire five season run so far on DVD, the spoils of a trip over to the United Kingdom, in part to see if it was as good as I remembered and to find out what had happened to Mark (David Mitchell) and Jez (Robert Webb) since I last saw them. I breezed through all five seasons of Peep Show this summer with gleeful abandon. If you know anything about the series (and if you don't, I've included the first two episodes in full below), you know that it hails from the same school of painful humor as the original British version of The Office. You can't help but wince and indeed cringe (and sometimes watch from behind your fingers) even as you're laughing uncontrollably. Because each episode is...

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Talk Back: Syfy's "Warehouse 13"

2009-07-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

Enchanted combs. Houdini's wallet. A warehouse filled with arcane objects with mysterious power. I'm talking of course of Syfy's new series Warehouse 13, which kicked off last night amidst the network's metamorphosis from Sci Fi to, well, Syfy. You read my advance review of the two-hour pilot of Syfy's Warehouse 13 but, now that it's aired, I am curious to hear what you think. (Missed the two-hour pilot? You can watch the whole thing over at Hulu or after the jump.) What did you think of the partnership between Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly's mismatched Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering? Was it more Philadelphia Story than X-Files? Were you intrigued by the sci fi-lite plot that had these two becoming custodians for a repository of powerful objects with seemingly supernatural abilities? Or were you turned off by the glacial pacing? Are you enamored with Saul Rubinek's manic Artie? Did you find the concept refreshing or repetitive? And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week to watch? Talk back here. Next week on Warehouse 13 ("Resonance"), Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) must team up with an FBI agent (guest star Tricia Helfter) in order to stop a team of bank robbers who have an unusual weapon: a LP record of an unreleased pop song written by a music genius that causes instant bliss in those who hear it, allowing the thieves to take what they want. Back at the Warehouse, Artie (Saul Rubinek) pinpoints the breach and...

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Trailer Park: NBC's New "Community" and "Parenthood" Promos

2009-07-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Hoping to catch another glimpse at Community and Parenthood? Look no further. With fall nearly upon us, NBC has today released new promos for two of its new series, Community and Parenthood, both of which launch this fall on NBC. The promos can be viewed in full below. (Meanwhile, you can read my glowing advance review of the full Community pilot episode here.) COMMUNITY: Greendale Community College would like to welcome you. Community, Thursdays this fall on NBC. PARENTHOOD: Parenthood is... a many-not-always-so-splendoured thing. Parenthood, Wednesdays this fall on NBC.

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Channel Surfing: "30 Rock" Lands Off-Net Sale, Andrea Bowen Returns to Wisteria Lane, Producers Seek Replacement for Lynch on "Party Down," and More

2009-07-08T06:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Liz Lemon still has a lot of life left in her yet. Universal Media Studios was able to negotiate a payout of roughly $800,000 per episode of 30 Rock from two separate off-network deals to Comedy Central and WGN America. Both channels will be able to begin airing the episodes as a weeknight strip in fall of 2011. "Pound for pound, this is one of the funniest shows on TV. The DNA of the show is fabulous," said Comedy Central's SVP of programming David Bernath. "I really believe its biggest and broadest days are still ahead of it on NBC." TBS and E! were also said to have had interest in picking up the off-net rights to 30 Rock. (Variety) Andrea Bowen is set to reprise her role as Julie when Desperate Housewives returns for a sixth season this fall but Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Bowen will be back in a major way: as a series regular, citing an unnamed insider with Desperate Housewives as a source. "Bowen vanished from Housewives at the end of season 4, a casualty of the show's four-year flash forward," writes Ausiello. "She briefly returned last season when Julie, on break from college, announced that she was dating her 40-year-old professor Lloyd (Steven Weber). It's not clear if he'll be accompanying her back home, but I'm guessing not." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files) Meanwhile in other Desperate Housewives news, Maiara Walsh (Cory in the House) has joined the cast of the ABC...

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Seeing Red: Televisionary Talks with Deborah Ann Woll of HBO's "True Blood"

2009-07-07T08:08:00.001-07:00

Viewers of HBO's Southern Gothic vampire drama True Blood were likely shocked last week when teenage vampire Jessica Hamby nearly walked away with the series when she sauntered languidly into Merlotte's in search of something to crave her hunger, both physically and emotionally. Set to the haunting strain of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy," the scene not only brought Jessica to the forefront of the talented ensemble cast but memorably established the flame-haired actress who plays her, Brooklyn-born newcomer Deborah Ann Woll, as a major force to be reckoned with in the acting community. I had the chance to catch up with the incandescent Deborah Ann Woll yesterday, where we talked about what's in store for mischievous teenage vampire Jessica Hamby, her character's star-crossed romance with Jim Parrack's Hoyt Fortenberry, and what's coming up for Jessica on Season Two of True Blood. So get your fangs ready, pour yourself a bottle of B-negative Tru Blood, and let's chat with True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll. Televisionary: How would you describe Jessica as a character? And has your perception of her changed at all during the course of shooting Season Two? Deborah Ann Woll: Well, my feeling about Jessica is that she is a profoundly lonely person. Having lived your life in a family where you were not allowed to express yourself or feel real, that must be a very lonely life. And then to be in a lonely life where you can't be with your family, you can't be with the people you...

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Metamorphosis: Sci Fi Transforms to Syfy Today

2009-07-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Imagine Greater. Cabler Sci Fi has rebranded itself as Syfy as of 6 am ET this morning and has unveiled a new moniker, new branding, new on-air spots, and a tweaked identity, and a two-minute brand film that showcases the channel's series talent. The changes coincide with the launch this evening of Syfy's newest drama series Warehouse 13. (An advance review of the two-hour opener can be found here.) "Coming off the most successful year in our 16-year history, we wanted to create a brand film that both celebrates the genre and also feels human, relatable, and wildly creative, highlighting the wide array of casts and character who inhabit Syfy’s ever broadening programming landscape," said Michael Engleman, Vice President, Creative, Syfy. "Through this unique creative collaboration, we’re honoring and embracing a powerful global brand with deep roots in the popular culture." The two-minute brand film, which displays Syfy's new rebranding and identity, along with the press release from the network announcing the film, can be found below. SCI FI TO UNVEIL FULLY IMMERSIVE AND INTERACTIVE “HOUSE OF IMAGINATION” BRAND FILM MARKING SYFY EVOLUTION CELEBRATORY HOMAGE TO IMAGINATION SHOWCASES TOP CHANNEL TALENT PRODUCED BY AWARD-WINNING UK 4CREATIVE TEAM As part of SCI FI’s brand evolution to Syfy on July 7, a refresh of the look and feel of Syfy will be reflected in a ground-breaking two-minute brand film, “House of Imagination,” that celebrates Syfy’s unique spin on...

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Channel Surfing: Jane Lynch Sticks with "Glee" Over "Party Down," Brian K. Vaughan Leaves "Lost," HBO to Develop "Middlesex," and More

2009-07-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. Confirmed: Jane Lynch will NOT be reprising her role as ditzy actress Constance Carmell in the second season of Starz's comedy series Party Down due to her involvement on FOX's Glee, where she plays cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester. Cabler Starz was said to have hoped that Lynch's schedule could have accommodated both series but they were unable to make that happen. "It looks like I can't do the second season," said Lynch of "blessed event" Party Down. "So I'm not happy about that all ... but I'm in Glee, so I'm thrilled about that." No word yet on what Party Down producers will do now that Lynch is unavailable; Jennifer Coolidge appeared in two episodes of Season One as Constance's roommate Bobbie St. Brown, likely due to scheduling conflicts. (Variety) "Y: The Last Man" creator Brian K. Vaughan won't be returning to the writing staff for the sixth and final season of ABC's Lost. "Unfortunately he has left for greener pastures," executive producer/showrunner Damon Lindelof told fans during a Q&A session last week. What those greener pastures are remain unknown at this time, although three of his comic book properties--including "Y," "Runaways," and "Ex Machina" are in development for feature film adaptation. During his tenture on Lost, Vaughan wrote seven episodes, including last season's "Dead Is Dead," "Namaste," and "The Little Prince." (MTV's Splash Page) HBO is developing a drama series adaptation of Jeffrey...

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Secret Agents, Screwball, and Pseudo-Science: An Advance Review of Syfy's "Warehouse 13"

2009-07-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Sci Fi will morph into Syfy, dropping its generic name in favor of a unique term that can be trademarked globally as the channel rolls out its brand to territories around the world. The metamorphosis of the channel--at least in terms of its name--will coincide with the launch of dramedy series Warehouse 13, which stars Joanne Kelley (Vanished), Eddie McClintock (Bones), and Saul Rubinek (Frasier). Warehouse 13, executive produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins, isn't your conventional sci-fi series, but rather a sci-fi-tinged screwball dramedy about two very mismatched Secret Service agents who are forced to work together after they are transferred to a mysterious South Dakota warehouse. Said warehouse houses all manner of dangerous artifacts and powerful items that are best kept under lock and key. Overseen by punctilious caretaker Artie Nielsen (Rubinek), the Warehouse contains an arsenal of arcane objects that could wreak chaos in the wrong hands. It's his job--and now that of Agents Pete Lattimer (McClintock) and Myka Bering (Kelly)--to safeguard these objects, investigate cases involving possible use of relics, and bring them back to the Warehouse for safekeeping. McClintock and Kelly are well cast as diametrically opposed Secret Service agents in the style of The X-Files' Mulder and Scully or indeed any of the screwball romantic leads of any George Cukor or Howard Hawks films. McClintock's Pete Lattimer is a guy's guy who tends to shoot first and ask...

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Alphabet Soup: "The Unusuals" Creator Noah Hawley Signs Blind Script Deal at ABC Studios

2009-07-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

While ABC may have canceled The Unusuals, series creator Noah Hawley has signed an blind deal with ABC Studios to write two new series projects for the studio, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "For his encore Hawley is looking to employ some of the storytelling elements he used on Unusuals," writes Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva, "where stories with different characters often intersected in unexpected ways. Also, he plans to continue mixing comedy and drama." With the cat out of the bag, Hawley himself addressed the ABC Studios announcement on his personal website, where he posted an explanation this morning as to why he would go into business with ABC Studios after the network canceled The Unusuals. As for the hopes that The Unusuals might end up on a cable network, Hawley downplayed any chances that the series might continue elsewhere. "While we haven't heard officially from all cable networks, I'd say the lack of a timely response means the chances of The Unusuals continuing on are slim," wrote Hawley. "So I've taken the next step toward getting a show back on the air next fall. I closed a deal with ABC Studios to develop two shows over the next few months. I'm excited to explore in greater depth some of the storytelling devices and tonal shifts I feel we perfected on The Unusuals." "As to why stay in business with ABC after they cancelled the show," wrote Hawley, "I'd have to say my relationship with the network was always very positive, and despite the...

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Channel Surfing: Team Darlton Talk "Lost" Ending, "Doctor Who" Feature Rumors Swirl, Phifer and Beals Return to "Lie to Me," and More

2009-07-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. Just a few headlines to go over on the first day back after a long holiday weekend. Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have promised viewers a definitive ending for Lost when the series wraps its run next year. "We won’t be vague and ambiguous – there will be a lot of answers," promised Lindelof, speaking at a BAFTA event in London. "We feel that if we hold anything back in the final season, it would be bad. Everyone’s come this far and they want a conclusion to the story. We’ve no plans to continue the story of Lost beyond series six. My wife says 'never say never.' I say 'never.'" That final season won't feature time travel elements but will instead feel more like the first season. "There’s a circularity to the show," said Cuse. Just don't look for a happy ending. "Bittersweet comes with the territory," said Lindelof. "The ending we’re aspiring to is fair. As a viewer, whenever you have five minutes left, there’s an intense sadness. The ending of series six will be different from other finales because there will be no cliffhanger." (Broadcast) Rumors are swirling that Doctor Who executive producer Russell T. Davies and outbound series star David Tennant will be announcing their collaboration on a big-screen Doctor Who outing later this month at San Diego's Comic-Con International. A script for a Doctor Who feature film is said to be "in development" by a BBC Films spokesperson and reports are circulating...

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Link Tank: TV Blog Coalition Roundup for July 3-5

2009-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation. This week, I proposed that not all culinary-themed television series are created equal, ranking such series as Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef Masters, BBC America's F Word, Food Network's Chopped, and FOX's Hell's Kitchen in one massive food-related post. I also offered up my thoughts on the latest episode of HBO's True Blood and an advance review of PBS' Miss Marple, recounted Torchwood star John Barrowman feeling "punished" by the BBC for the reduced episode count, reviewed the Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Season Two DVD set, and offered talk backs for FOX's Virtuality and HBO's Hung. All this and news about BBC axing Robin Hood for good, the unlikeness of a big-screen Veronica Mars adaptation, Christian Slater circling ABC drama The Forgotten, Tim Minear developing a new Alien Nation series at Syfy, Comic-Con scheduling updates for Syfy, the return of Sons of Anarchy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Nip/Tuck at FX this September, Drea de Matteo moving to Desperate Housewives, and Supernatural finding its Lucifer. Elsewhere in the sophisticated TV-obsessed section of the blogosphere, members of the TV Blog Coalition were discussing the following items... Scooter is giving away an Ice Road Truckers prize pack that includes the first two seasons on DVD. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)The group dance...

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Channel Surfing: "Robin Hood" Slain by BBC, Hulu Plans September Launch in UK, Neil Patrick Harris to Host Emmys, and More

2009-07-03T08:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Hollywood seems more or less shut down already for the Fourth of July weekend, so just a few headlines this morning. The Beeb has confirmed that it will not be bringing back drama series Robin Hood for a fourth season. The series, which starred Jonas Armstrong in the title role, saw its viewership decline to roughly four million viewers during its third (and now final) season (compared to the 8.6 million who tuned in for the series premiere in 2006). For his part, Armstrong had made it clear that the third season would be his last, stating, "It's been a great thrill, a great ride, but you can't play one part forever." (BBC News) Hulu has announced plans to launch a UK-based online video service in September and has indicated that it is close to reaching content deals with local broadcasters after offering them equity stakes in the service as well as a share of advertising revenues. Rumors are swirling that Hulu has already approached ITV about a possible stake but that has yet to be confirmed. Service would feature more that 3000 hours of US programming as well as local-grown fare but, due to rights issues, some programs--such as The Simpsons and Heroes--would be unavailable as those rights are tied up elsewhere. (Variety) Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that CBS and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has reached a deal with How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris to host the 61st Annual...

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Neptune (Not) Rising: "Veronica Mars" Feature Film Update

2009-07-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

Looks like that Veronica Mars feature film is probably not happening... I've been on tenterhooks for the last few months about Rob Thomas' plans for a feature film version of his short-lived (and much missed) UPN/CW series Veronica Mars. On the one hand, I'd be the first in line to go back to Neptune and catch up with super-sleuth Veronica, watch her drop some witty bon mots, and solve some crimes, but I wondered whether there really was a massive public interest in, you know, paying to go see Veronica Mars on the big screen. After all, the sensational Kristen Bell-led series was canceled due to low ratings and, as much I adore Veronica Mars, it did work best as a complex, ongoing serialized drama series. It turns out that Warner Bros and executive producer Joel Silver feel more or the same way, according to series star Kristen Bell, who spilled the dish to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello at the recent Saturn Awards. "I don't think it will ever happen, and here's why: [Series creator] Rob Thomas and I had a powwow, and we were both 100 percent on board," said Bell. "We took our proposal to Warner Bros. and Joel Silver told us that there is no enthusiasm [there] to make a Veronica Mars movie, and that is unfortunately a roadblock we cannot compete with." "Maybe if we bombard them with letters?" suggests Bell. "Maybe [then] they will change their tune." What say you? Should a letter campaign be started to show Warner Bros. that there is support and appetite...

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Tea Cozies, Tweed, and Murder Most Foul: An Advance Review of "Marple" on PBS' "Masterpiece Mystery"

2009-07-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

The sunshine might be more intense than ever this summer, but it's also the perfect time to curl up with a good mystery, or four in this case. This weekend, PBS' Masterpiece Mystery launches the first of four fantastic new Miss Marple feature-length mysteries, based on the spinster detective character created by Agatha Christie. Stepping into the role for the first time is the superlative Julia McKenzie (Cranford), who replaces Geraldine McEwan as the titular sleuth following McEwan's retirement after the third season of Marple, which airs in the UK on ITV. McKenzie is pitch perfect as the perspicacious Jane Marple; she might look like an elderly spinster but her tweed suits and constant knitting belie the keen mind of a true detective in every sense of the word. The four installments presented here--"A Pocket Full of Rye," "Murder is Easy," "They Do It With Mirrors," and "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?"--might seem like tea cozy mysteries but the crimes they depict are anything but civil, resulting in countless poisonings, stabbings, and strangulations. Yes, the tea might always be freshly brewed here, but the body count is climbing just the same. The four Marple mysteries airing over the next four Sundays represent a virtual Who's Who among British television actors. Every episode is positively overflowing with recognizable faces. The first installment alone ("A Pocket Full of Rye") features Matthew Macfadyen (Spooks, Little Dorrit), Rupert Graves (V for Vendetta), Liz...

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Channel Surfing: Christian Slater Gets "Forgotten," Emerson Says No Happy Ending for "Lost," Piper Perabo Engages in "Covert Affairs," and More

2009-07-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. Christian Slater (My Own Worst Enemy) is in talks to topline ABC drama series The Forgotten, from Warner Bros. Television and executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer. If the deal closes, Slater would replace Rupert Penry-Jones, who appeared in the original pilot episode as a former cop whose daughter was kidnapped and went missing. Another role--that played in the pilot by Reiko Aylesworth--is also being recast. The series is set to launch Tuesday, September 22nd at 10 pm. (Hollywood Reporter) Don't look for the series finale of Lost to feature a happy ending, according to series regular Michael Emerson. "I don't think Lost will have a happy ending," Emerson told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "It's the end and I think we are going to start seeing more casualties. I would put money on major characters being killed. I believe it will be a sad ending to the show -- or at least bittersweet. I think it will definitely be a series finale for grownups." And Emerson is still trying to make sense of this season's finale. "I killed Jacob... maybe... probably," mused Emerson. "It isn't like we haven't seen plenty of other people be killed and somehow come back. And what does it mean if I did kill him? I Who the hell was he anyway? Obviously, Ben wanted a father. So much of our show is about bad fathers. It is one of our biggest themes. And Jacob disappointed in those final moments. And maybe Jacob made it easy for him....

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The Insatiable Viewer: Not All Food Shows Are Created Equal

2009-07-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Now is a very good time to be a television-loving foodie, with several networks other than stalwarts Food Network or PBS devoting air time to culinary-themed programming. In fact, it's safe to say that cuisine as a whole has entered the general zeitgeist in a way that it couldn't really have done before the public's embrace of reality programming. But there's a rather large caveat: not all food programming is equal. While television offers a bountiful cornucopia of culinary series, there's still a large difference in the quality of these programs, not to mention a staggering range of subjects being covered. There are docusoaps that focus on cake-makers, competition series pitting chefs against each other, old fashioned cook-offs, food-focused travel series, and product spotlights. While I'd never be able to offer up a comprehensive discussion of all of these series (they are too numerous to even contemplate as a whole), I thought I'd take a look at a few members of the current crop of culinary programs and offer my thoughts about how each stacks up to the competition, with Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef Masters, Food Network's Chopped, BBC America's Gordon Ramsay's F Word, and FOX's Hell's Kitchen. So, sit back, grab yourself a plate of something tasty, and let's get cooking. Top Chef (Bravo) Top Chef really is the mirepoix of culinary programs today: that essential base that makes all others possible. And likewise, the cabler has taken this base to build an entire Top...

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Channel Surfing: Syfy Discovers "Alien Nation," ABC Falls for "Defying Gravity," "Castle" Novel Out Next Month, and More

2009-07-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Syfy is developing a new incarnation of Alien Nation, the 1988 feature film that spun off into a FOX drama, with writer/executive producer Tim Minear (Firefly, Drive). The project, from Fox21, will tell the story of the partnership between a veteran police officer and an alien detective in the Pacific Northwest as the two races attempt to live side-by-side on Earth following the aliens' arrival and efforts to assimilate into human society. The new version will include a mythology that will unfold over time and will use contemporary issues, such as immigration, racism, terrorism, and paranoia, in its storytelling. "It's very much in keeping with what we've been looking to do -- find themes that are more than just hard sci-fi, something that feels contemporary and relevant and invites a broad audience in," said Syfy original programming EVP Mark Stern. "It's genre mixed with procedural mixed with funny and mixed with big, giant scary," Minear said. "I love serialized stuff, but this is also a cop franchise. That Starsky and Hutch/Lethal Weapon buddy cop comedy is absent from TV right now." (Variety) ABC has acquired Fox Television Studios' thirteen-episode international drama Defying Gravity, which will air on Canada's CTV, Germany's ProSieben, and the BBC. Project, which stars Ron Livingston, Laura Harris, Christina Cox, Malik Yoba, and Florentine Lahme, follows eight astronauts from five different countries in the near...

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