Good News! No, the WGA strike isn’t over. Although if we’re to believe Deadline Hollywood Daily — Day #2 of the talks were “Still Friendly But Unproductive.” The good news is that the fine folks over at LateShowWritersOnStrike.com have teamed up with THE SOPRANOS Edie Falco to come up with a surefire way to put an end to the WGA Strike. Enjoy their surefire solution via the YouTube video above.
Archives for November 2007
GOSSIP GIRL Spoilers: Thanksgiving
Last night, GOSSIP GIRL hit the big time. And by ‘big time,’ I of course am referring to the fact that this TV Addict is officially ready to proclaim GOSSIP GIRL his favorite new show of the season.
The Thanksgiving themed episode was actually Thanksgiving squared. Offering up a tasty look at this year’s uber awkward Thanksgiving dinner at the Humphrey loft [Rufus and Lily’s past comes back to haunt them], the Waldorf Estate [Blair’s dad’s run off to Europe with a Man] and the Archibald Mansion [Nate’s Dad has issues]. Complete with flashbacks to Thanksgiving pasts — featuring a very drunk Serena and very hungry Blair.
So why did the episode rock? For lack of a better word, something finally clicked. This TV Addict stopped passively watching the show and genuinely started to care about these characters. No really, the TV Addict tips his hat [or is it remote?] to the GOSSIP GIRL writers [Go WGA!]. Who over the course of a season have truly transformed ‘S’ and ‘B’ from rich and snobby caricatures to fully realized characters with real problems. Apparently, having endless amounts of money, power and good looks may really not be all that it’s cracked up to be.
Don’t believe me, find out for yourself tonight at 9PM on the new [still new?] CW.
You Be The Critic: HOUSE and BONES
Exclusive Interview: THE UNIT Star Abby Brammell
By: Amrie Cunningham [My Take on TV]
I’ll be the first to admit that the only reason I started watching The Unit was because it featured 24’s President Palmer and Felicity’s Noel Crane working side by side as members of a secret government organization . I have to say, though, that what keeps me coming back is the story of the wives and how they deal with their lives as a part of The Unit.
I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Abby Brammell, who plays Tiffy Gerhardt (one of my favorites, second only to the amazing Regina Taylor’s Molly Blane). We spoke for a few minutes about what’s coming up for Tiffy, who Abby would choose (the Colonel or Mack), and what she does in her downtime.
My first question is what about Tiffy made you want to play this character?
She’s so troubled. I really gravitate towards the troubled, soul-searching character. I really like she was caught up in the affair and she was struggling with right and wrong. And also that she’s married to a soldier. That seemed really fantastic to me. I’ve always loved the kind of archetype of the warrior, so to be a warrior’s lady, is like pretty great, too.
It seems like it’s not an easy role to play, which I’m sure gives you a lot of rewarding challenges.
You have to kind of let go of what you think is right and wrong, and really just deal with trying to love your character. And accept them for who they are with all of the terrible mistakes they make. And not judge them. You really can’t judge your characters; you just have to love them and try to portray them as honest as possible. It’s hard.
Joanna’s Best & Worst of the Week
Due to impending hiatus, the WGA strike, shows that are too horrible to watch and several season finales, I have come to the shocking conclusion that my show count of 26 has been reduced to a mere 10! If only you could see the look on my face right now…
As a result of Hollywood failing us, I’ve decided to change things up a bit. Instead of doing the usual ‘Best & Worst’, today I give you just the one best and one worst of the week. This writer’s strike needs to be over. Very soon.
This week’s best: MOONLIGHT
I have to admit that I couldn’t get on board the Mick/Beth ship at first, but I think this show grows as time progresses, as does their relationship. If given a fair chance, MOONLIGHT could become one of those rare cult hits like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL. Its two leads are acting better with each episode, and they’ve built up more and more chemistry between their characters. They have now stumbled upon their first major obstacle, the ex-wife. I love it that Mick is flawed, that he has a weakness for Coraline and that he couldn’t resist her. The final scene just complicated everything a whole lot more, and I for one can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next week! If you’re not watching MOONLIGHT already, I strongly urge you to do so. What with this strike we’ve been suffering through we need to expand our horizons anyway!
For Joanna’s Worst of the Week, click the link below.
Most Romantic Thing Ever
Get Real: In Defense of Reality TV
On The Couch with C.T.
Ever since the writers guild went on strike, I’ve been getting comments taking me to task for writing about reality TV in my Channel Surfing pieces, suggesting that I should be eschewing the genre in support of the folks who are marching on the picket lines. But that ain’t about to happen, and I’m gonna tell you why.
To borrow a phrase from one of my favorite shows, the facts are these: I was watching — and writing about — reality television long before the strike began, and I will continue to do so long after the strike is over. Why? Simply put, reality is a fact of modern TV life and has been for longer than most people realize. Way before MTV offered us a peek into THE REAL WORLD — referred to by man as the grandpa of reality shows — back in 1992, PBS delved into the lives of a dysfunctional family who let it all hang out before the cameras for their groundbreaking series AN AMERICAN FAMILY. I can’t help wondering if the producers of that famous series would have pulled the plug had they known it would lay the groundwork which eventually would result in slightly less high-minded programming as THE ANNA NICOLE SHOW or FEAR FACTOR.
Whether the strike ends tomorrow or two years from now, reality will continue to have its place on the cultural landscape that is television programming. Might there be more of it in the months to come thanks to the strike? That seems almost certain. But I’m not sure that this is necessarily a bad thing for the striking writers. After all, they have decried the genre for years, swearing that it eventually will be the death of scripted fare. And while that hasn’t proven to be the case, perhaps an endless glut of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP FILL-IN-THE-BLANK or TOP SOMETHING-OR-OTHERS will finally do what the writers have long hoped and quench the country’s thirst to see unemployed (or unemployable) wanna-be actors pretend to be people just like you and me in order to compete for their promised 15 minutes of fame.
You Be The Critic: HEROES, CHUCK & JOURNEYMAN
Since this TV Addict won’t get a chance to catch up with last night’s TV until later in the week. I thought I’d pose the questions to you guys. Did HEROES continue it’s string of good episodes? Is CHUCK worth perpetually saving on my PVR to catch up with come December repeats? Was the second part JOURNEYMAN’s two-parter as good as last week? And while I’m on the subject, is JOURNEYMAN worth fighting for? You be the critic.
What Do Full Season Orders for CHUCK and LIFE Mean?
What does NBC’s surprise full season pick-up for CHUCK and LIFE mean? Does network president Ben Silverman knows something we don’t? Could Deadline Hollywood Daily’s assertion that “it’s possible that the strike could be settled before Christmas” become a reality? And what does this mean for the season’s most under-appreciated new gem JOURNEYMAN? Or the season’s biggest bust BIONIC WOMAN? Post away with your thoughts below, and stay tuned to theTVaddict.com. Things are just starting to get interesting.
Disappointed by DEXTER: Resistance is Futile
To paraphrase THE SIMPSON’S uber TV critic Comic Book Guy, “Worst Episode Ever!”
Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of an overstatement. But truth be told, last night’s installment of DEXTER was incredibly disappointing. Here’s why:
1. Are we seriously to believe that 160 pound Dexter Morgan could so easily subdue an armed and dangerous lethal weapon like Sgt. Doakes?
2. When Dexter asked Doakes how he found his little hiding spot, Doakes explained that he simply planted a GPS device on his boat. If that’s the case, why did Doakes waste all that time following Dexter throughout the season’s first few episodes? Why not use a GPS device?
3. The writer’s employed my television pet peeve — one that’s usually reserved for the likes of Jack Bauer on 24. When Doakes was conversing with LaGuerta on a cell phone, he wouldn’t reveal that he was secretly tracking Dexter. I mean HELLO!!! Shouldn’t the first words out of Doakes’ mouth have been, “By the way, you should probably know that Dexter Morgan is the Bay Harbour Butcher!”
4. Unless the writer’s have one helluva rabbit up their sleeve [and they very well may have one!] — Sgt. Doakes is all but dead. Which means season three of DEXTER just got far less interesting. Just ask JJ Abrams how ALIAS did without the brilliant dynamic between Sydney, SpyDaddy Jack Bristow and SpyMommy Irina Derevko.
5. Keith Carradine’s gratuitous butt shot. Was it really necessary? If we want to see old people naked, we’ll flip over to HBO’s TELL ME YOU LOVE ME.