Armchair Commentary

Fall Television 2011: New Shows

Ah, fall! Along with your crisp, cool days and the craving for warm apple cider, you bring about television's newest offerings. The networks seem to have recurring (or is that repetitious?) themes this year. Magic abounds, as do fairy tales and other monstrous creatures. And, since the 60s worked so well for AMC's Mad Men, we should have known the era would be ripe for the picking. The following list--in no particular order--are a few of the new series we're looking forward to this year. **Warning, spoilers ahead**

 

Ringer, Aired September 13, The CW

The premise: Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to television, in not one role, but two, playing twin sisters--Bridget, witness to a crime and on the run from the FBI; and Siobhan, trapped in a high society life and loveless marriage. The pilot episode threw a lot at us (affairs, a faked suicide, attempted murders, impersonation), and might have been better served over two hours. But we admit we're hooked already.

Why we're watching: Umm, SMG is back on television! And for all of the other above reasons. For all that the pilot was busy, we can't wait to see where this winding neo-noir road leads us. Also starring Ioan Gruffudd as Siobhan's husband, Kristoffer Pulka as Siobhan's lover, and Nestor Carbonella (and his too-good-to-be-true eyelashes) as an FBI agent searching for Bridget, all good reasons to tune in.

 

Death Valley, Aired August 29 on MTV

The premise: Not for the feint of heart or stomach, MTV's original series is in your face gore and snark … and is incredibly fun. Told Cops-style, this mockumentary follows the UTF precinct officers (Tania Raymonde, Texas Battle, et al.) under Captain Dashell (Bryan Callen) as they take on the vampires, zombies, and werewolves that inexplicably appeared in the valley. While it started a few weeks ago, you can get caught up online.

Why we're watching: Irreverent adult humor that turns the supernatural trend on its sparkling head. 

 

Person of Interest, Aired September 22 on CBS

The premise: After September 11, 2001, eccentric billionaire (is there any other kind?), Finch (Michael Emerson of Lost fame) created a pattern-recognition system that collects information--through computers, cell phones, and cameras on the street--to predict who will become involved in violent crimes. Some years later, he teams up with Reece (Jim Caviezel), a presumed-dead CIA agent, to help him stop those crimes. While it doesn't sound like these two initially trust each other: Reece pokes into Finch's past and Finch doesn't really trust anyone. Complicating matters is Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson), who starts tracking Reece.

Why we're watching: Complicated premise? Perhaps. Hopefully this show will find the gray line separating protection vs. spying vs. paranoia … then stomp all over it and make us think. Besides, we'll watch anything with Michael Emerson.

 

2 Broke Girls, Aired September 19 on CBS

The premise: A(nother) modern take on The Odd Couple, this time featuring snarky street smart waitress Max (Kat Dennings) and bankrupt ex-heiress Caroline (Beth Behrs), who works with Max. These two opposites not only decide to live together, but to start a business together.

Why we're watching: In less capable hands, we might be dubious, but exec producer Michael Patrick King worked on Sex and the City, and we've heard that was a success! Also, Kat Dennings (usually) walks that delightfully fine line between sass and being obnoxious very skillfully, so count us in.

 

Terra Nova, Aired September 26 on Fox

The premise: Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, this is one of the most ambitious series we've seen in a while. Terra Nova takes us 138 years into a bleak future, where humans have all but ruined Earth. The discovery of a rift in time prompts a new generation of “pilgrims” to go back in time to a prehistoric, Cretaceous-period Earth so they can start fresh. The Shannon family (including Jason O'Mara and Shelley Conn) take the plunge, so to speak, and come under the leadership of Commander Nathaniel Taylor (Avatar baddie Stephen Lang). As the Shannons learn to survive on this new--but old to them--world, they come under the attack of a rogue group of residents called the Sixers, for reasons unknown; deal with the Commander's cagey tactics; and, oh yeah, there's dinosaurs.

Why we're watching: The series is exec produced by Spielberg, and the man knows his way around dinosaurs. Think what you will about Avatar, Stephen Lang was ridiculously over-the-top entertaining, and his role here has a similar feel. And then there's those dinosaurs …

 

The Secret Circle, Aired September 15 on The CW

The premise: Newly orphaned 16-year-old Cassie (Britt Robertson) is sent to live with her grandmother in the town her mother grew up in, but never talked about. Cassie is approached--and tested--by five of her new classmates (including Thomas Dekker as Adam) who break the news to her: she's a witch, as were all of their parents until something tragic and unspoken happened. Cassie's arrival completes the circle of magic they formed, upping their powers to dangerous and hard to control levels. Keeping things from getting too new agey, two of the parents (Natasha Henstridge and Gale Harold) seem to have a bloody agenda … one that involved killing Cassie's mother, perhaps to lure/force her back?

Why we're watching: Magic seems to be the new vampire, but we're okay with that--for now. Britt Robertson was a delight to watch in Life UnExpected, as was Thomas Dekker in the still missed Sarah Connor Chronicles.

 

Prime Suspect, Aired September 22 on NBC

The premise: A remake of the British Hellen Mirren staple, Jane Timoney (Maria Bello), is a tough, no-nonsense NYC homicide detective (as so many female cops on television seem to be), who will deal with hostility from both the perps she arrests and her fellow officers. Unlike the UK version, which used an entire mini-series for the case, each murder will be solved within an episode.

Why we're watching: This adaptation is executive produced by Alexandra Cunningham, who worked on the original, as well as NYPD Blue. Though it will probably follow the typical procedural formula we're used to, there's comfort in that style and it's worked for many a cop show. Then there's that news-making hat …

 

Revenge, Aired September 21 on ABC

The premise: Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) tells it straight: she's come home not to dispense forgiveness, but to exact revenge against those who destroyed her family. Her new neighbors have no idea who Emily is, as she skillfully blends into the community, makes new friends, and sets her plan into motion.

Why we're watching: Every season needs at least one guilty pleasure show, and we're hoping this will be worthy of our time. While the Klingons may prefer their revenge served up cold, there's nothing like a warm summer in the Hamptons to really heat things up!

 

Grimm, October 21 on NBC/ Once Upon A Time, October 23 on ABC

The premise(s): Taking the fairy tale trail, you have two options (or both, we won't make you chose!). Grimm seems to be the darker of the two, following Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) who discovers he's descended from a line of criminal profilers--called Grimms--tasked with keeping the world's mythological creatures in line.

Once Upon A Time looks to be a beautiful mystery set in the (subtly) named town of Storybrooke, Maine. A group of fairy tale characters are trapped in the town and have been cursed to forget their true origins, including Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), her--possibly--long-lost daughter, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), and, of course, Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). We'll also be treated to flashbacks showing the characters' former lives in Fairy Tale Land.

Why we're watching (both): Though viewers may tune into Grimm, which airs a couple days earlier, and not give Once Upon A Time a chance, we think the two shows will be different enough that you can enjoy both and not feel like you're getting a second helping of the same entreé. Here's wishing upon a star …

Pan Am, Aired September 25 on ABC

The premise: Based on a woman's actual experiences (executive producer Nancy Hult Ganis), many of the larger storylines are at least modeled after real events, including the stealth rescue mission to Cuba and the assassination of JFK. Follow Laura (Margot Robbie) as she runs out on her wedding and takes to the skies with her sister, Kate (Kelli Garner), a Pan Am stewardess. Joining the sisters are they travel around the world are fellow stewardesses Maggie (Christina Ricci) and French-born Colette (Karine Vanasse), and pilot Dean (Mike Vogel).

Why we're watching: Set in the heyday of airline travel, flying has never looked so good. But we don't think this show will be all pie in the sky. It doesn't sound like the writers are going to back away from the tumultuous political climate of the early-to-mid 60s.

 

Which new shows are you watching? --Jill Corddry

Fall Television 2011: Returning Shows

Get your DVR warmed up! May's cruel cliffhangers are unfurling as fall 2011-2012 television season begins. Everyone has their favorite genre(s)--from procedurals to dramas to sitcoms and everything in between--and we won't judge. Though we can't possibly list everything coming back this fall, here are a few returning series we're looking forward to. The following list is in no particular order. **Warning, spoilers ahead**

Supernatural, September 23 on The CW

Where we left off: So … Castiel is God now…

Or at least he thinks he is. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are up against their toughest (at least emotionally) big bad yet, as their juiced-up-on-souls friend takes over as the ultimate power hungry CEO. Early clips indicate the former angel isn't exactly a benevolent dictator and will no doubt cause Sam and Dean trouble, but rumors indicate the Castiel (Micha Collins) isn't the worst thing the Winchester brothers will encounter in the show's seventh season.

 

Castle, September 19 on ABC

Where we left off: The secret of who killed Detective Beckett's mother and why was (mostly) revealed, and surprisingly, involved Captain Montgomery, who ultimately sacrificed himself to save her. As Beckett bled on the ground after being shot at the captain's funeral, Castle whispered, “I love you.”

Season four picked up where the last season ended, and we all knew Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) would survive, because Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) wouldn't be Castle without his muse. With the departure of Captain Montgomery last season, we're getting a new face in the squad: Captain Victoria “Iron” Gates (Penny Johnson). Though Beckett has been telling everyone she doesn't remember anything regarding her shooting, she confesses to her therapist that she does … which more than likely accounts for her putting some distance between her and Castle, and should cause some interesting conflicts. The rumor mill indicates the 3XK killer will be back at some point, and we're hoping for some hilarious hijinks for Detectives Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) as the latter plans his wedding.

 

Chuck, October 21 on NBC

Where we left off: “Guys, I know King Fu!” After the Intersect was forcibly removed from Chuck's brain, Morgan inadvertently downloads it, becoming the new Intersect. Oh yeah, and the entire team was fired, Sarah and Chuck bought the Buy More (and the secret rooms below) after getting married, and they're starting their own spy business.

The much loved geek-spy series is coming to a close after five seasons, but at least the creative team knew in advance and can plan a proper farewell. Besides having a new Intersect in town and some notable guest stars villains (Mark Hamil and Craig Kilborn), Chuck (Zachary Levi) has to adapt his role from super Intersect spy to handler as Morgan (Joshua Gomez) learns to use his newly amped-up brain. And no one thinks it will be cake for Casey (Adam Baldwin) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) to work together as their own bosses.

Fringe, September 23 on Fox

Where we left off: Both rapidly deteriorating parallel universes were brought together by a time-traveling Peter Bishop, who quite literally disappeared before our eyes. And no one cared. Or even noticed.

We cannot wait to see how Peter (Josh Jackson) is reintegrated into the show, since we've been promised he hasn't been written out! But besides that, the season should prove a fascinating look at what would happen if Peter had never existed. How far over the edge would his crazy scientist father Walter (the amazing John Noble, also playing "over there's" Walternate) have gone? Fauxlivia (Anna Torv, also playing Olivia in “our world”) would never have had a baby … or at least not Peter's son. We're assuming much of the season will deal with both worlds trying to stop the process that's destroying them both, and a healthy dose of the fringe-type science that makes this series what it is.

 

How I Met Your Mother, September 19 on CBS

Where we left off: Marshall and Lily are having a baby!

As excited as we are for this fun couple (Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan) and their impending bundle of joy, we want the main focus of the show's seventh season to come back to Ted (Josh Radnor) and his search for love (and the mother of the title). There's also the lingering question of who on Earth managed to snare Barney (the legen-wait for it-dary Neil Patrick Harris) and get him to pop the question. Is his wedding where Ted meets the woman of his dreams? Love is also--possibly--in the air for Robin (Cobie Smulders) with guest star Kal Penn.

 

Glee, September 20 on Fox

Where we left off: The New Directions finally made it to NYC and Nationals, only to have their dreams once again dashed when Finn kisses Rachel on stage.

Whew! It almost feels like we had a whole season of Glee over the summer with all the off-camera theatrics and rumors: Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) are graduating and leaving after this season … no they aren't; they're getting their own series (which might have been kind of awesome!); no, wait, they'll be sticking around. And then there was the reality show that selected three winners for small roles. No wonder we're tired! Here's hoping this season returns focus to its true strengths: the singing, the dancing, Jane Lynch's tyrannical Coach Sue Sylvester and the outrageous story lines that made us love season one.

 

Modern Family, September 21 on ABC

Where we left off: Mitchell and Cameron are thinking of adopting a another baby.

This multi-family-within-a-family series has too much going on for us to dive into each and every aspect of this upcoming season, but season three opens with the families exploring their inner cowboy on a dude ranch, giving Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) a chance to see if they are ready to adopt a boy. We can't wait to watch as this part of the clan prepares to enlarge their family. Also in the future, Jay (Ed O'Neill) and Gloria (Sofia Vergara) have their hands full as Manny (Rico Rodriguez) runs afoul of the law.

 

The Walking Dead, October 16 on AMC

Where we left off: Big badda boom! The survivors battle zombies as they escape an explosion at the C.D.C.

Season two picks off seconds later, with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and the rest of the survivors speeding away from the burning remains of the C.D.C. Fans of the graphic novel will recognize their destination, as they try to get to the farm of Hershel Green (Scott Wilson). Fingers crossed the departure of producer Frank Darabont won't hurt the show. Viewers should take heart that star Andrew Lincoln had this to say: “The scripts are sooo good,'' he insists. ''They're amazing.”

 

Psych, October 12 on USA

Where we left off: Serial killer Yang was back for a third (and final … probably) time, as she helped catch her partner Ying. Shawn and Juliet hooked up last year, but kept it a secret due to a no dating policy within the Santa Barbara police department. But Detective Lassiter caught them kissing.

Normally a summer staple, Psych was moved to fall to make room in USA's busy schedule, and we've been craving our fake psychic Shawn (James Roday) and his partner Gus (Dulé Hill) more than a pineapple upside down cake. As always, we're prepared for a plethora of pop culture references, ridiculous crimes, and Shawn's even crazier antics as he tries to solve them. We're assuming that strict rule-following Lassie (Timothy Omundson) will have a problem with the still burgeoning relationship between Shawn and his partner, Juliet (Maggie Lawson) … but what will he do about it?

 

Bones, November 3 on Fox

Where we left off: Bones is preggers! Booth is the daddy!

Okay, so fans of the show all knew star Emily Deschanel was pregnant (and recently delivered a baby boy), but we certainly didn't expect to see it written into the show, even though Temperance Brennan (Deschanel) had previously explored having a child. This season will be abbreviated due to her real life pregnancy, but we can only imagine the challenges the non-couple couple will go through as things progress: Booth (David Boreanaz) will no doubt grow increasingly protective and Bones will try to carry on as though nothing has change--at least not with the work. We can already a see a rounded Bones crawling through some vile crime scene, thinking nothing of it. Oh yeah, and there's the rest of the squints, Angela (Michaela Conlin) and Hodgins' (T.J. Thyne) new baby, the rotating squinterns, and all those murders.

 

What returning shows are you most excited about? --Jill Corddry

The Icky Shuffle: Contagion Movies

Gesundheit. With Steven Soderbergh’s brilliantly clinical, scarily plausible all-star disaster movie Contagion hitting screens, here’s a few notable films which also explore the fertile topic of quarantines and near-invisible invaders. Does … does anybody else feel warm?

Panic in the Streets (1950) Q: What’s scarier than having an unknowing carrier of bubonic plague on the loose in New Orleans? A: When said carrier is played by a huffing, puffing Jack Palance. Elia Kazan’s heavily expressionistic film noir (which features Richard Widmark in a too-rare heroic role) piles on the paranoia, especially when zooming in on the increasingly manic Palance, spreading potential death with every musk-ox exhalation.

Shivers (1976) There’s a fear of infection at work in most horror stories (Vampires, check; Werewolves, check; Zombies, big time check). While George A. Romero’s Dead saga, the 28 Days Later series, and The Stand all have their considerable virtues, no filmmaker has ever played with the idea as boldly as David Cronenberg, whose first two movies are brilliantly grody metaphors about catching a bug.  Shot entirely in a claustrophobic high rise, Shivers follows the outbreak of a group of horrid slug-things whose bite releases the inner deviant in their victims. Working on an extremely low budget, Cronenberg takes the concept of viral horror and absolutely runs with it, leaving no queasy stone unturned.  (To quote Stephen King from his awed appreciation in Danse Macabre, “[the film] is about sexual promiscuity on one level; on another level it’s asking you how you’d like to have a leech jump out of a letter slot and latch itself onto your face. These are not the same levels of unease at all.”) Nowhere is the film more effective than in its bizarre finale, which somehow plays as both worst case scenario and happy ending. 1977’s follow-up Rabid, in which Marilyn Chambers develops a communicable hankering for human blood following an experimental surgery, is a slightly more conventional movie, although the director still goes to degrees where few others dare to tread. After watching a surgeon start foaming at the mouth in mid-operation, never leaving the house again feels like a valid option.

Carriers (2009) A small group of survivors attempt to outdrive a widening plague zone, in this surprisingly vital, unstintingly tough-minded end of the world virus movie, with a pre-Trek Chris Pine unafraid to ugly it up in the lead role. The lack of funds occasionally shows, but in its unpretentious B-movie miserablism, it works like gangbusters.

Black Death (2011) In which a bunch of church-commissioned Medieval witch hunters (led by Sean Bean) stumble across a community mysteriously free of the plague. A cult movie in the making, director Christopher Smith’s fantastically atmospheric film explores the horrors of unexplained sickness, as well as the extreme steps taken by some to escape the taint.

Outbreak (1995) Released during the height of Ebola fears, Wolfgang Petersen’s mild yet effective monkey virus thriller manages to hit some of the same nerves that Contagion pings so expertly. The novelty of Dustin Hoffman as an action hero aside, this makes the list mainly for the awesomely overt scene where the plague is first spread … in a movie theater. William Castle would have given a high-five.

So, what movies make you reach for the Purell? --Andrew Wright

 

Can't Recall Being this Totally Excited

For a lot of guys in my age bracket Paul Verhoeven's Total Recall is a seminal movie. If you were an Arnold (pronounced Aahh-nuld) fan (go ahead and admit it, it was a different time), Total Recall was the zenith of his awesomeness. And my dad took me to see it when I was too young for an R rated movie. It came after Commando, Predator, The Running Man & Twins. It was the right movie at the right time for any action/adventure loving movie goer. Total Recall was full of humor, memorable quotes and for the era, great sci-fi design and special effects. It seemed like such a BIG movie and for at least this one movie geek, it would became one of the most referenced films ever.

So now, of course, the upcoming "re-imagining" Total Recall (2012) directed by Len Wiseman (of Underworld fame) is making me feel like a kid again. Scanning the google looking for updates or new photos, hoping for an Arnold cameo, anything to feed my excitement. Anyways.....this time around we've got Colin Farrell in the Arnie role. Which, I can get on board with. He's versatile and sometimes brilliant as is evident in the far too unwatched In Bruges. Then the cast really gets good. Kate Beckinsale in the Sharon Stone role, AWESOME! Jessica Biel as Melina, SWEET!! And to top it all off Bryan Cranston as Cohagen. AWESOMELY SWEET!!! Oh wait, as if that wasn't good enough, how bout' they throw in a little Bill Nighy, John Cho and some Ethan Hawke. MIND BLOWN!! One more bonus, Shia LaBeouf is not in it. Just a powerhouse group! What's next, Robocop with Daniel Craig? We can dream.

It's OK if you're smiling right now thinking of some mindless action fun. Let yourself go back to that place when you were younger and going to the movies was so much more exciting. We didn't need no stinkin' 3D! We just needed absurd fight scenes and enough of the F word to make us feel a little bit dangerous while we watched. Thanks Paul Verhoeven, thanks Arnie and now thank you Len Wiseman and Columbia Pictures for bringing back this classic. Yeah, I said it, c-l-a-s-s-i-c.

The Best Movies & TV of 2011 So Far

In picking our Best of 2011 So Far list, we took everything that released between January 1 and August 15 of this year, put the names in a jar, shook it, and wrote down whatever pieces came out at random.

Just kidding. But we DID get in a room and debate the merits of a great movie in a mediocre Blu-ray release vs. a mediocre movie with a spectacular Blu-ray release; how to compare a great movie that released this year vs. the re-release of a classic movie; and the comedic chops of one Russell Brand (be assured, this did not derail our conversation too much). Without further ado, here's a look at our editors' picks on DVD, Blu-ray, and Instant Video.

Top 10 on DVD
1. The Social Network
2. The King's Speech
3. Mad Men: Season Four
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I
5. True Grit
6. Black Swan
7. The Fighter
8. Tangled
9. The Walking Dead: Season One
10. True Blood: The Complete Third Season
>See the rest of the top 50 on DVD

Top 10 on Blu-ray
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Extended Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part I
3. The Social Network
4. Black Swan
5. True Blood: The Complete Third Season
6. Tangled
7. The Fighter
8. Raging Bull (Two-Disc 30th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
9. The Incredibles (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)
10. The Walking Dead: Season One
>See the rest of the top 50 on Blu-ray

Top 10 on Instant Video
1. Black Swan
2. Biutiful
3. Dexter: Season Five
4. Waiting for Superman
5. Justified: Season Two
6. The King's Speech
7. Tangled
8. The Fighter
9. The Killing
10. The Walking Dead: Season One

What are your picks for the Best of the Year So Far? --Ellen

Ivan Reitman on the Lessons of Ghostbusters, the Upcoming Sequel (and ... Ashton Kutcher?)

Ivan Reitman has made a lot of terrific movies: Meatballs, Stripes, Kindergarten Cop, No Strings Attached. But there’s one that’s special. One that’s helped define what a blockbuster comedy is, and brought joy to millions. That movie is Ghostbusters. “I like to think it did something that hasn’t been seen before – that combination of humor with a fairly original story, original characters, a mix of genres,” said Reitman, who recently judged the Amazon Studios Best Comedy Script contest. “It’s kind of a scary film and kind of a funny film. And a film of a scale that had not been attempted before that I can think of, and it really set this whole new genre.”

There are lessons in Ghostbusters for every screenwriter, and the most important one is: Don’t try to make another Ghostbusters. For one, Reitman himself is on the case (more on Ghostbusters 3 in a bit). But more importantly, the thing Reitman most wants screenwriters to be is authentic. Don’t try to make the movie or write the script that you think someone wants you to write. More specifically, he added: “Think about: What part of my own experience is unique to me? What do I have genuine and original insight into what is my own experience that I can ascribe and impart in my own way that has not been seen before?”

Some might say that with a cast that included Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts, it would be hard to go wrong. And Reitman wouldn’t disagree. “Sometimes an inspirational performance can take a script out of failure,” he said.  “But it’s very hard to make a bad script a lot better. I’d much rather start with a better script.” He had it with the first Ghostbusters. And the second? “There’s lots of funny stuff in the second Ghostbusters, but we didn’t quite get the story right, particularly the threat,” he said. “The actors were interesting, but I thought the plot was less than stellar in comparison to the first one, so there was a certain level of disappointment. Though taken on its own, it was a good movie.”

Ghostbusters 2 came out in 1989, five years after the original. And Ghostbusters 3? Coming next year, reportedly. “I think it’s going to happen,” Reitman said. “We really all want it to happen. Though I’m not sure about Bill. I think he’s gone to a place in his performance career that it’s not as important to him as it may be with others.”

Reitman won’t discuss the specifics of the plot, but he will acknowledge the pressure. “It’s an interesting pressure. People do sequels all the time now, and there doesn’t seem to be quite as much pressure on those screenplays as there is for a Ghostbusters movie. There’s such a love for the original film that it has placed almost a unique weight on it.” Fortunately, he said, they have a “very good” screenplay ready (by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, who wrote Bad Teacher).

Speaking of pressure, Reitman is confident that Ashton Kutcher, his leading man in No Strings Attached, can handle what awaits when he leads one of TV’s hottest comedies, Two and a Half Men, into its post-Charlie Sheen era this fall. “Ashton is undervalued as an actor,” Reitman said. “He’s thought of as a good looking boy … but he’s a really good, subtle actor.” And funny. And Reitman would know.

-- Studios Steph

(Learn more about Amazon Studios and is opportunities for writers, filmmakers and movie fans.)

Andrew Garfield Melts Hearts at Comic-Con

If you haven't seen this clip circling yet, check out this little Comic-Con surprise prior to the "Spider-Man" panel, then watch Andrew Garfield, aka the new Spider-Man, get choked up at the honor of inheriting the webbed mantle. --Ellen

 

 

 

2011 Summer Television: What We're Looking Forward To

It's summer, and you know what that means: a slew of new shows premiering or returning for another season. While Falling Skies, which started June 19 on TNT, has us intrigued, it's no Lost (and really, no show ever will be, so we should probably stop the unfair comparisons). Still, summer is no longer the dearth of television it used to be, and that's mostly thanks to the cable and premium channels. It's easy to include the obvious fan faves, like True Blood and Weeds, so we're trying to branch out … at least a little. Some shows are just too good to leave off, no matter how obvious their inclusion. The below list is by no means everything the summer has to offer, but they're the shows we're the most excited about.

 

White Collar

We know, we know, the new season started already, but Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) charmed us with those eyes and that smile and we were helpless against both. Are the cases easy to predict? Yes. You know going in that the “good” guys almost always win and the “bad” guys are going to get what's coming. But it's as refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade after mowing the lawn. Plus, the relationship between Caffrey and his FBI handler Peter Burke (Tim DeKay)--neither completely trusts the other--is a delight to watch. Throw in paranoid accomplice Mozzi (Willie Garson) and Neil's new love interest, Sara, and we're ready to commit a white collar crime ourselves, just in case they're assigned our case. Returned June 7 on USA.

 

Burn Notice

Grab a yogurt and get ready for something we've not yet seen. Über spy Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) is not just back, he's back in bed with the CIA. Or is he? Granted he's not a full agent again, merely an “asset,” but after all those years trying to get back at the people who burned him, can he pretend it never happened? Or is he still out for revenge? Only time and the rest of the season will tell, but with Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and Sam (Bruce Campbell) on his side, we know he'll be well-armed and well-beered as he out-MacGyver's, well, MacGyver. Returned June 23 on USA.

 

 

Leverage

Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) & Co are back on the job, helping the wronged and doing what they can to stick it to the man or company responsible. By now, we know that the heart-of-gold criminals will prevail, with a number of Ocean's 11-style misdirections. For all that, though, it is pure fun watching it happen and trying to figure out just how they'll dupe the baddie of the week. And while yes, Hardison (Aldis Hodge) and Eliot (Christian Kane) will spar ("Dammit, Hardison!"), Parker (Beth Riesgraf) will awkwardly learn some aspect of humanity, Sophie (Gina Bellman) will use an accent, and Eliot will hit someone … we want it that way. Predictable or not, we're totally along for the con. Returned June 26 on TNT.

 

Necessary Roughness

This new series introduces us to Dani Santino (Callie Thorne), a woman trying to start her life over after she discovers her husband is cheating on her. As she delves into work, she becomes the go-to therapist for a number of high profile clients, including athletes, politicians, and entertainers. The previews have us intrigued, (and it also stars Buffy alum Marc Blucas, so there's that reason to tune in!) but we hope it doesn't become a troubled “famous person” of the week show. Let's see her putting her life back together, failing, trying again. And with two teenagers in the mix, there's definite promise for some fallbacks. Premiered June 29 on USA.

 

The Closer

Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) takes on ten more cases this summer as head of the Major Crimes department. While the crimes were far from the stars of the show–often easy to solve or borderline ridiculous–the ensemble cast was a pleasure to watch, especially led by the talented Sedgewick. The tough-as-nails female police officer/detective/lieutenant is a familiar television trope, but Brenda wore it with a side of Southern charm, and most suspects never knew which was coming into that interrogation room. One of cable’s highest-rated dramas, this is the show's last season. Sort of. Next year, it will continue on without Sedgwick, as a spinoff called Major Crimes starring Mary McDonnell. Returns July 11 on TNT.

 

Eureka

Okay, we admit to a (loud and prolonged) fangirl squee we heard geekdom fave Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and The Guild) was arriving in the genius town for a seven-episode arc. Notjust that, but her Department of Defense character will be involved in a possible love triangle with Fargo (Neil Grayston) and guest star Wil Wheaton, of Star Trek: TNG fame. Um, super squeee! Now in its 4.5th season, it's a safe bet that everyman Sheriff Carter (Colin Ferguson) will make an off-handed comment or ask a stupid question and save the town from some crazy experiment gone awry, but the scientific hijinks are almost beside the point. The quirky collection of characters are the heart of this show. Returned July 11 on the SyFy Channel.

 

Warehouse 13

What started as a total guilty pleasure show for us has grown into a smart bit of pure summer fluff, and way more fun than the Income Tax Return Forms building the warehouse masquerades as. Last season, agent Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) walked out the door. Our fingers are crossed she returns–and mum's the word on if that's a yes or no–but Smallville's Aaron Ashmore is joining the team as a new agent, Steve Jinks. He'll join forces with agent Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Artie Neilsen (Saul Rubinek) as they secretly try to keep seemingly ordinary objects--Mata Hari's stockings, Babe Ruth's bat--from wreaking havoc on the civilian population. Returned July 11 on the SyFy Channel.

 

Alphas

Whew! July 11 is a busy night for the SyFy Channel … joining the previously mentioned Eureka and W13, this new show sounds like part Heros (hopefully season one) and part No Ordinary Family. Starring Emmy® Award winner David Strathairn as Dr. Lee Rosen, a group of five genetically superior people are brought together by the Department of Defense to investigate cases that might point to others with special powers. It has promise, but shows like this haven't always fared so well. That said, it's not on one of the basic network channels, so maybe there's hope for it. Our fingers are certainly crossed. Premiered July 11 on the SyFy Channel.

 

Rescue Me

An obvious selection, perhaps, but since this is the final season, we were afraid leaving it off would give us a serious case of heartburn. Firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) has battled more than just fires in the show's seven seasons, and the question now becomes will he redeem himself? And do we, as viewers, want things tied up with a ribbon when the series bows out (appropriately around the 10th anniversary of September 11)? Returns July 13 on FX.

 

Breaking Bad

This is another obvious one, yes, but for good reason. It's one of the best shows on television. Period. And if you don't believe us, stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are both Emmy® Award winners, Cranston for three consecutive years. Awards aside, the unlikely drug-lord duo find themselves in even deeper at the beginning of the season--no surprise there, though the end of last season was a shocker! Oh Walter! Oh Jesse!--with Jesse most likely on the run and Walter's fate unsure. Returns July 17 on AMC.

 

We're also looking forward to these summer shows, though they'll probably build up on the DVR before we get around to them. Of course, that means one thing: lazy summer day marathon!

Memphis Beat: Another police procedural, true (it seems summer television is rife with cops and lawyers), but at least this one isn't set in Los Angeles or NYC. And Jason Lee is thoroughly enjoyable as Elvis-loving, guitar-playing MPD detective Dwight Hendricks. Returned June 14 on TNT.

Suits: We want to like this new show, but admit that smarter-than-anyone Mike (Patrick J. Adams) might get a tad too know-it-all for us. But Firefly alum Gina Torres, even in a small, supporting role, will keep us tuning in for now. Premiered June 23 on USA.

Rizzoli and Isles: A generally enjoyable tough female cop-fashinonista female coroner buddy show, it doesn't pop with anything especially new. Yet we can't take it off of our season pass list. Chalk-line it up to the chemistry between Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander. Returned July 11 on TNT.

 

Which shows are you most looking forward to this summer? -- Jill Corddry

Nathan Fillion Talks "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights"

You may know Nathan Fillion best as the star of ABC's Castle, or Captain Mal from the canceled-too-soon series Firefly, or as Dr. Horrible. Maybe even from his days on Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.

But over the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend in 2010, Fillion played the role of Hal Jordan for Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, an all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie arriving today on Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant Video. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights weaves six legendary stories of the Green Lantern Corps’ rich mythology around preparations for an attack by an ancient enemy. As the battle approaches, Hal Jordan mentors new recruit Arisia in the history of the Green Lantern Corps, telling tales of Avra, Kilowog, Abin Sur, Laira and Mogo. In the end, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help Hal, Sinestro and the entire Green Lantern Corps save the universe from the destructive forces of Krona.

The ever-genuine Fillion spent some time following his initial recording session to discuss comic book justice, the perils of space travel, his love of comic books and the origin story behind his famous Green Lantern t-shirt.

QUESTION: Among the superhero role play games of your childhood, did you ever pretend you were the Green Lantern?
NATHAN FILLION: As a child, when you're pretending you're different super heroes, Green Lantern was the easiest because all you needed to light the fire in the imagination was the ring. Superman, you need a cape; Spiderman, you need a full face mask. That wasn’t tough to come by in a winter town like where I’m from, but they’re just too hot to wear in the summer. So to be Green Lantern, all you needed to do is suck a lifesaver down to the right size, and to make sure it's a lime one – slip it on your finger, and you were good.

QUESTION: What is it about Green Lantern that most appeals to you?
NATHAN FILLION: As a kid, what I liked about Green Lantern was that he could do anything – anything you could think of. It's like “Wow, all I need is a giant mallet, or a catapult circa 1200s,” and suddenly he had it. I just thought that would be pretty cool to have anything you could kind of imagine. Imagination was always a big thing for me.

QUESTION: You fit comfortably into animated super hero roles. Why do you think you keep getting chosen to play these comic book legends?
NATHAN FILLION: I will say that I've been very fortunate. I can't tell you why people are willing to offer me the opportunity, but I can say how it pleases me because as a kid collecting comic books, I had a great time with the way it kind of lights the fire in the imagination. I always thought I had an overdeveloped sense of justice. Now looking back on my comic book days, my world kind of was formed around comic book justice. I think I have a very strong sense of comic book justice. Maybe that has something to do with how you take on a role. I mean, I'm steeped in the history of these characters. I know it and I love it.

QUESTION: Castle is a runaway hit. You’re a cover boy for national magazines with great regularity. There’s never been greater demand for Nathan Fillion. How do you stay humble through all this adoration?
NATHAN FILLION: I'll tell you there sure is nothing like being an actor and having something to do every day. Get up 5:00 a.m. – I’ve got someplace to go and I’ve got a place I need to be. I’ve got stuff I gotta do. I’ve got stories I need to tell. This career that I've chosen, I'm employed gainfully in it – so I’m living the dream every day. That's a good feeling. It does good things for how you feel about your choices. There was a period of time, I'll say it was 1998 approximately, where I didn't work for nearly a year. I was really questioning my judgment. What have I done? I've made a colossal error in judgment. I'm paying my rent on credit. What am I gonna do? It's a much, much nicer feeling to know that you're doing something -- that you're playing some music that people want to hear. So I'm gonna play these notes – you tell me if you like them and we'll keep playing if you keep liking them. That's a good feeling. It's nice to walk down the street and have someone stop and politely say “I love your show.” That’s always great. As opposed to doing plays, where there’s immediate feedback, you don’t get that so much in television. So it’s really nice to hear. It doesn’t get old.

QUESTION: You’re on the Castle set at least five days a week, upwards of 14 hours each day. Given all that work, what makes you take time – on a Sunday of a holiday weekend – to record the voice of an animated superhero?
NATHAN FILLION: I take the time to (voice characters in DCU films) exactly for the reason that it's fun. I get a call saying “Hey, how would you like to come on down to record Green Lantern?” And I’m asking back, “Can we squeeze it in on a Sunday because that's pretty much my only day off?” I want to make it work because I love doing it. More than that, I love being part of this lore. These are great characters – you’ve got Green Lantern, you have Superman, you have Batman, you have the Flash, all these wonderful pieces of American pop culture. And now I've got a little piece. I can say, “Oh yeah, I was Green Lantern for a DVD movie.” Not a lot of people can say that. “Oh, Steve Trevor? Funny you should mention him.” (he laughs) It may sound silly, but it means something to me.

QUESTION: You have been seen – on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, walking around Comic-Con on a Saturday, at your initial Green Lantern recording session – wearing a Green Lantern t-shirt. Did you own that shirt before being cast as Hal Jordan for Green Lantern: Emerald Knights?
NATHAN FILLION: Debbie Zoller is the head of my makeup department on Castle. She saw that fan-made Green Lantern trailer and thought the t-shirt would be an appropriate Christmas present. And I wholeheartedly agree with her. I’ve been known to wear a few superhero shirts … and where better than a Green Lantern recording session to wear it today? So thank you Debbie – I told you it would come in handy someday!

Henry Rollins Talks "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights"

When he isn’t perusing the Sudan, performing in Prague or recording for public radio, Henry Rollins takes to another of his true passions: voiceovers for animated projects. Rollins’ latest animated incarnation is in the guise of Kilowog for the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Rollins voices one of the most beloved characters in the entire universe of Green Lanterns – Kilowog, the hardcore drill sergeant-style trainer of Green Lantern recruits. Written by Peter J. Tomasi (based on “New Blood” by Tomasi & Chris Samnee) and directed by Lauren Montgomery, the “Kilowog” segment of the film depicts the gruff character’s initial days as a young recruit under the abusive tutelage of Deegan, an equally gruff character who shows Kilowog the true “tough love” principles of training. As the segment play out, Kilowog must assume an integral leadership role within the ranks.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is far from Rollins’ first venture down the animated path. For Warner Bros. alone, Rollins has recorded over the years for Batman Beyond, Teen Titans and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And then there’s his more recent forays into voiceovers for series like Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time and the primetime series American Dad! Rollins is joined in the voicecast of the intergalactic animated film by Nathan Fillion, Elisabeth Moss, Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films), Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy), Kelly Hu (The Vampire Diaries), Wade Williams (Prison Break), and professional wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Piper . No stranger to the spoken word, Rollins spent some significant time after his initial recording session chatting about his character, his love of great literature, Too Much Coffee Man, his need to travel the Earth, and much, much more. Read on …

QUESTION: How did you approach the character of Kilowog for this story?

HENRY ROLLINS: For me, Kilowog is a man who's pure of heart. He's a warrior. He's a soldier. And he loves his rookies. Deegan is the guy who broke him in – in boot camp – and kind of brought him into command position. So Kilowog came up through the ranks by being brave and by being a take-charge leader. In the Kilowog segment, you see that he had a grasp of the leadership idea from the get-go. He's with other recruits and he immediately takes the leadership position. So I think he's a good guy, but he always knew he was gonna be running things.

QUESTION: Were there any challenges to finding the character for you?

HENRY ROLLINS: I assumed what the character needed before we went in. I said, “Andrea (Romano), this guy has a flat top, thick neck, but he’s a good guy and if you get past all the yelling, you know he's got a good heart.” She said, “You got it. That's, that's the guy.” So I kind of had him dialed in and then we went forth. It was really just finding his subtleties working with the great direction of Andrea. The character, for me, wasn't all that hard to find. He's not a complex guy. He takes his orders. He gives orders. He knows right and wrong. He takes care of bad guys, and keeps people alive. On that level, his life is pretty simple.

QUESTION: You’re so often a one-man show, or at least the leader of the band. What’s it like to be directed by Andrea Romano?

HENRY ROLLINS: I've been working with Andrea for well over a decade, and it is one of the fun moments of my year when I get the call. Watching her work with a whole group of people is like watching a combination of air traffic controller, director and producer all at once. And she has as much fun or more fun than all of us combined. Her level of energy is quite remarkable. I've done every kind of voiceover with her – entire casts, one on one, Batman Beyond, Teen Titans – and she always brings a tremendous bolt of energy. It's infectious and it’s fun. It’s like she always says, “Thanks for coming in and playing.” Andrea really allows you to have fun with it and not take yourself too seriously, which allows you to work really hard.

QUESTION: You're such an intense, intelligent, driven individual who actively lobbies for so many worthy, worldwide causes. Do voiceovers for animation fulfill some sort of need for play, or does it offer another challenge?

HENRY ROLLINS: The reason why I come and do voiceover, for animation or documentary or whatever, is because I'm really not suited for it. And so I have to somehow pass myself off as someone who can actually pull this off. It makes me work really hard, and I love the challenge. I've been in a lot of films, and yet I’ve never taken an acting lesson. I've done a lot of voiceovers for all kinds of things, and I've never taken any lessons there. I've just shown up with a whole lot of enthusiasm, a great fear of failure, and a desire to please the people who have somehow trusted me to do the work. I come from the minimum wage working world of the late '70s, early '80s, so stuff like this, to me, is gravy. It is so not standing on my feet, carrying something to the back of a truck. I know how to do all of that. Many of us do. So, for me, it's just a really fun thing. There's pressure certainly to perform – not the same pressure that I take out on stage every night, when there's a lot of people who are there to hear me or see me. The voiceover thing, in order to be good at it, you have to have a laugh at yourself. I mean, you're doing funny voices. We're larger than life here. So you have to throw your seriousness away and be able to laugh at yourself. You have to throw out your ego. The more I do it, the more I realize that you have to approach it that way – and then you get super involved in the moment. I think that's what the job requires. You have to think “Oh, no, here comes the meteor storm. We’ve got to go.” When I'm doing something like that, believe me, I'm really in that moment. When you can throw away your self-importance and have fun with it, that’s when you really deliver.”

QUESTION: What’s your motivation to perform in this odd world of entertainment?

HENRY ROLLINS: Like many of us in the entertainment world, I think we are making up for the lack of attention that we did not get as kids through the need for attention and approval from an audience. I tell audiences now that I'm only here for your attention and your approval. I need you way more than you'll ever need me. And you'll be done with me way sooner than I'll ever be done with you. It's a pity. And welcome to the show. (he laughs) And it's so true. QUESTION: Are you more comfortable performing in front of large groups or alone in a studio with you and the microphone? HENRY ROLLINS: I love being in front of tons of people, and I really enjoy being one-on-one with the microphone. I love both micromanaging the part, and having the ability now to give the director exactly what he or she wants, and then really being able to nail it. In the booth it’s fun because they’re directing you, and you’re trying to hit those notes. It’s like Andrea will say “Can you lighten it up just a little? Remember, you're kind of sad, because on page 11 you had that thing happen.” And then you can dial in with such extreme subtlety that she can hear it and go, “That's what I needed. Thank you very much, we’re moving on.” To be able to deliver that is really enjoyable.

QUESTION: Did you read comics as a kid?

HENRY ROLLINS: I was not a comic book-guy growing up. My stepbrother had them. I would look at them with not a great of interest. My first job was throwing newspapers for the long-defunct Washington Star. I’d throw 80,000 tons of newspaper a year for about $4.60. So I’ve got maybe $12 to my name, but I was a kid, I didn't know what to do with it. And so I went to the drugstore and I bought a couple of comics. I dragged them home, and I looked at them. Quite honestly, it didn't do much for me, and I've never gone back except for when someone sends me the odd modern comic. A few years ago, I did come across this character called “Too Much Coffee Man.” And he used to worry about the world. He had a coffee cup strapped to his head. I eventually made friends with Shannon Wheeler, who draws the comic. He illustrated a book for me – putting some illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. And Shannon used to kindly send me these collections of “Too Much Coffee Man.” But that's the only comic I would really pay attention to, because I like the idea. “Too Much Coffee Man” has a lot to say. He's a great apocalyptic philosopher for our very troubled times.

QUESTION: Comics don’t have an impact on you, but do you believe they have a social relevance for society?

HENRY ROLLINS: I think that it's important for young people who are maybe sensitive. Maybe they're not gonna be the quarterback and they're not gonna get the pretty cheerleader to go to the senior prom. But it's great for them to have an escape. Because some people who are often aren't the one who can throw the football the furthest, they have interesting minds. And I think that comics help someone with an imagination have fun and play around … I think anything that inspires young people to have imagination – it’s what gives you things like, oh, the Internet and renewable energy. And progress. So I think anything that is a seed to imagination, that enhances imagination, I think is safe. Growing up, I loved great literature. I lived for your Steinbecks and your Hemmingways as a kid, and I read them all again as an adult and got the better version of the story. My comic books were reading things like the The Grapes Of Wrath, and stuff like that that my mom turned me on to. So I understand anything that makes the imagination go as being a good thing.

QUESTION: Is there a super hero or villain role you truly covet?

HENRY ROLLINS: No. I'm happy for anything that would come my way. And I'll be so happy if someone said, “Here is three years work on this series and you get to be that guy.” It’s all been so much fun. There's nothing I'm wanting to do but more.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights will be distributed by Warner Home Video on Blu-ray, DVD, and Instant Video June 7.