It was fun while it lasted.
While it’s never a happy day when your favorite show gets cancelled (Seriously, this is coming from the TV Addict who is still smarting over the untimely demise of EVERWOOD, JACK & BOBBY, VERONICA MARS, KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL and GROSSE POINT!), both LIE TO ME and HUMAN TARGET ended their runs with 48 and 25 episodes respectively. A number, that while not ideal, is one we have a feeling FIREFLY fans would have done unspeakable things for!

You gotta give Fox credit for thinking different.
Putting aside for a moment the pick-up of THE FINDER — a somewhat less-than-thrilling BONES spin-off that we have a feeling was only given the green-light as a result of Emily Deschanel’s real-life pregnancy and creator Hart Hanson’s stellar track record — Fox will always hold a special place in our heart for being the one network that isn’t afraid of thinking different. And while we’re the first to admit that their gambles don’t always pay off, we continue to applaud them for taking chances on the likes of GLEE, BOB’S BURGERS, TERRA NOVA among others. Particularly in contrast to their Network brethren who far too often seem content with spewing out spin-offs, reboots and re-imaginations of already popular franchises.

We heart Fall TV!
While we can’t stress enough as to just how badly we feel for those fans who passionately invested their time in the handful of FOX’s shows that are now six feet under thanks in no small part to the timeslot hogging reality TV behemoth that is THE X FACTOR… we aren’t here to lay blame on our UK friends! What we are here to do is highlight one of the only upsides that come with Fox eviscerating a large portion of their Primetime sked: The unknown! Will TERRA NOVA be the small screen equivalent of Jurassic Park? Does J.J. Abrams’ ALCATRAZ have what it takes to live up to the lofty expectations set forth by LOST? Will Hart Hanson’s FINDER be able to locate the winning chemistry that turned BONES into a hit? All we know for sure is we can’t wait to find out.

What’s Next?
Another positive for the countless actors, not to mention hundreds of hard-working/talented behind-the-scenes artisans being given the proverbial pink slip are… new and exciting opportunities. No really. Things may not look too rosy now, but it would behoove those affected by last night’s bloodbath to keep in mind the following two things. Not only did showrunners Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd channeled their shock and awe over BACK TO YOU’s unexpected cancellation into MODERN FAMILY, actor Josh Gad can currently be found singing and dancing to sold-out houses eight nights a week in the Tony nominated Broadway smash Book of Mormon. Oh, and on the off chance you are one of those actors/creative types scratching your head over what to do next, Maureen Ryan has a few helpful suggestions.

FRINGE
And finally, can you really stay angry at the network that continues to renew a low-rated science fiction marvel that on any other would have been cancelled two seasons ago? We sure as heck can’t.

Good News: Fox has given early 2011-12 season picks ups to J.J. Abrams ALCATRAZ, Hart Hanson’s BONES spin-off THE FINDER and the Zooey Deschanel comedy starrer THE NEW GIRL. Bad News: At the expense of TRAFFIC LIGHT, BREAKING IN, THE CHICAGO CODE, LIE TO ME and HUMAN TARGET, all of which were just canceled by Fox after low-rated freshman and sophomore seasons respectively. [Source]

Good News: TNT is thisclose to officially picking up FALLING SKIES for a second season. Bad News: Due to the non-traditional June go-ahead, new showrunner Remi Aubuchon will have to assemble an entirely new writing staff. [Source]

Good News: After months of heated negotiations, Fox and NBC Universal have reached an agreement for another season of HOUSE. Bad News: According to reports, it will likely be its eighth and final season. [Source]

V
Appearing for the V panel was creator/producer Scott Rosenbaum, along with stars Elizabeth Mitchell and Marc Singer. Each appeared stunned and grateful at the loyal fans’ appreciation and was effusive in turn for the dedication and support. While the show is still technically “on the bubble” and a third season in no way guaranteed, they were still excited about the possibility of another season and had lots of ideas to share about what they hope to see next.

As Elizabeth Mitchell candidly admitted, “There’s something in me that wants to talk less and fight more!” After brutally losing her son and holding her ex-husband as he died in her arms, surely Erica Evans’ days of hiding in the shadows and tentatively striking back against the Visitors is over. Thus, should a third season be granted, Elizabeth is looking forward to kicking some well-deserved alien butt!

On the lighter side, Elizabeth would also love to portray the scenes where she finds out about Tyler’s death and Hobbes’ betrayal. Between the newly infused kick-ass role and its tender emotional-side, Elizabeth relishes the chance to portray the full spectrum of emotion. The razor-sharp edge of combined rage and anguish would be her dream-come-true.

When queried about whether any of the characters who looked dead in the season two finale will actually stay dead, producer Scott Rosenbaum coyly teased, “How dead is dead? On this show, you never know!”

Talking about Tyler’s infamous death scene in the finale, Elizabeth shared “I really love Logan [Huffman] and enjoy working with him so much, so I’m sad that [Tyler] is dead.” She also predicted that when Erica learns about her son’s death that “someone is going to have to physically stop her — and as we’ve seen with Erica, that might be hard!”

Other things that may come up next season, which would have been shown in the second season finale had there been more time, such as: Erica’s discovery that Hobbes was involved with her ex-husband’s death and a possible romance with Jack. With Hobbes on the run, and Jack ex-communicated from the church and moving in with Erica (temporarily), there has been a shift in Erica’s romantic interests. Elizabeth described one of the cut scenes as, “There’s a scene that they never showed, where Father Jack moves in and he gets really close to her — and she just looks at him like, ‘Whoa! Ok . . .’ we shot it, and it was really fun. There’s got to be something there.” For fans looking to check-out those sexy scenes, Elizabeth revealed, “We had far more romantic tension scenes, but they were all cut. So they should be on the DVD.” She also laughingly shared that she has no preference as to who Erica ends up with as both Jack and Hobbes are “hot guys” and that she just appreciated Erica getting a chance to hook-up with one of them!

Another big chuck that was cut from the finale that would have explained a bit more about Hobbes’ hasty departure was briefly explained as well. Apparently, when Hobbes and Ryan went up to the Mother Ship, Diana tripped a tracking device the minute she left her cell. That warned Hobbes that his cover was potentially blown and he vanished to save his own skin.

Looking to the future, Marc Singer’s character Lars Tremont will feature prominently in Project Aries. Elizabeth excitedly described it as, “Project Aries really started something completely new. I think having that power behind our tiny little group is really exciting. It gives them something to draw from – I mean, they’ve got nuclear weapons!” Thus, in season three, Elizabeth wants Erica to rise to the occasion. She explained, “I would like her to be a nothing-to-lose — incredibly strong — incredibly intelligent character. . . I feel that maybe we can out think [the Visitors].” She further added, “We are talking about the reptilian brain, which is mostly just instinct. So with a combination that we have and so many gifts and so many things we can do, I think that Erica is capable of it. I just want to see it happen — and I want there to be so much action. I want Marc’s character to send her out to accomplish things. That would be wonderful. That would be very cool!”

For his part, Marc is just as enthusiastically looking forward to the chance to rain down hell on the Visitors next season and is looking forward to working more with Elizabeth on the show.

As for the realistic chances of a third season, Scott was optimistic stating that they were all hopeful and that the DVR numbers are better this season. So there is always a chance. He encouraged fans to help ensure that third season by checking out Project Alice on Facebook – anything the fans can do to show their appreciation and support of the show is what is needed to reassure ABC that a third season is warranted.

HUMAN TARGET
At the HUMAN TARGET panel, which was moderated by Blastr’s Jenna Busch, in attendance were executive producer Matthew Miller, along with cast-members Mark Valley, Jackie Earle Haley and Janet Montgomery. Each candidly shared their thoughts on the new dynamic created by adding the two female characters to the team this last season and what they are hoping for in the upcoming third season.

Not even hesitating, Jackie revealed from his perspective that Ilsa and Ames definitely have changed the “all boy’s club” aspect. He even admitted, “Their presence forced a new dynamic on Chance and the guys.” He also noted that while his character Guerrero usually feels paternal towards Ames, for the most part, he is just pissed-off and just feels like tossing Ames off the nearest building. But from Janet’s perspective, she senses something else entirely.  In fact, she believes there is a romantic under-current between Ames and Guerrero and she would love to see the show explore that potentially land-mine area. It could be the makings of a great relationship, or something much more explosive, but either way, it would be fun to play.

Mark also shared that he appreciates how adding the new characters has forced Chance to grow and to open-up a bit — pushing Chance to break-out of his loner life and allow himself to care for people.  The first season was about reluctant trust between Chance, Winston and Guerrero; and the second season was about looking beyond themselves and becoming more a familial unit — albeit with some romantic tension.

Should a third season be forthcoming, look for a bit more of Guerrero’s backstory to be revealed — including an episode involving Guerrero’s ex-wife, who is literally the only  person on the planet that he is genuinely scare of — and with good reason as his ex is currently serving time in prison.  Another ex to make a return appearance will be Winston’s ex-wife Michelle when all hell-breaks-loose involving Winston’s nephew.

Also possibly returning for guest appearances are Lennie James, Tony Hale, Roger Bart and perhaps Emmanuelle Vaugier.

The entire cast also admitted to being huge fans of their own show.  Mark said he likes to read each new script as if it is a comic book and even Jackie enthusiastically shared, “I’m not sure I like working on the show more — or just watching it as a fan!”  As he also noted, HUMAN TARGET has the look of an action movie and it is simply incredible what they can do on the show. It is like filming a movie every 10 days.

At the end of the panel, Matt made sure to remind fans that they should use Twitter, Facebook and any other way they can think of to show Fox that they want the show back for a third season.  By far, the funniest proposal came from Jackie who suggested that fans should strip-down, oil-up and videotape themselves crawling out of an air-duct like Janet did for one of the episodes last season.  With that kind of visual imagery being sent into Fox, they could not possibly ignore the fans’ enthusiasm for HUMAN TARGET.

So as negotiations are ongoing to determine if the third season is a “go,” get out your body lotion and oil and make your video!

BREAKING IN
In the new Fox comedy series BREAKING IN, Christian Slater plays an independent security consultant who employs a rat-tag group of social manipulators — aka con artists and thieves — in order to test various companies’ security systems. Christian plays Oz – the man behind the curtain. Christian heads a cast of entertaining actors, including Bret Harrison, Alphonso McAuley, Trevor Moore and Odette Annabele. Being a half-hour comedy series, “Breaking In” smartly relies on its cast as a source of amusement and lively entertainment – for each is a force of personality and carry the comedy on a wave of enthusiasm.

In the press room, cast-members Christian Slater and Odette Annabele talked about what they loved about the show.

Odette described the show as THE OFFICE meets THE A-TEAM and that it is an off-beat comedy with a great team dynamic.  It is an ambitious premises, but she is loving every minute of it.  On the show, she plays a bad-ass safe cracker who was raised by an ex-con artist.  Having grown up into the family business so to speak, she is very good at what she does.  However, she has made some less than stellar decisions in her personal life which can come back to bite her a bit.  Though she was quick to defend Michael Rosenbaum’s character, Dutch, who plays her boyfriend on the show.  She described Dutch as the “most thoughtful douche-bag you’ll ever meet.“  He is thoughtful, adventurous, and spontaneous and that is perhaps why their dynamic works.  Odette also laughingly admitted that Michael is a lot more like his character than he likes to admit.

As for Christian’s character on the show, Oz — he’s the guy in charge.  He has his hands in a lot of different pockets.  Christian described him as, “Oz is the kind of character with a lot of secret rooms and who is 8 moves ahead.  He knows what the outcomes are going to be pretty much from the get go.”  Christian admitted, “It’s a lot of fun to get the opportunity to play that character.”

So BREAKING IN, is not just a wacky, goofball comedy.  As Christian hinted, “There’s a lot more going on in that office than really meets the eye — which will be revealed more and more over time.”  With that kind of subtext and mystery waiting to be revealed, hopefully fans tune-in and see what’s next — which includes lots of homages and tributes to the sci-fi fans, such as Christian’s own replica copy of the Captain Kirk chair from STAR TREK and an episode set at Comic-Con where the team is tasked with protecting Goonies II.

BREAKING IN airs Wednesday nights at 9:30PM, following AMERICAN IDOL on Fox.

****

Check back tomorrow for the final Wonder of WonderCon 2011. Missed the first part? As seen in Part 1 of this article, WonderCon 2011 offered an extraordinary opportunity to share in the joy of television.  The seven panels highlighted gave fans a glimpse into the worlds of DOCTOR WHO, TERRA NOVA, FALLING SKIES, V, HUMAN TARGET, BREAKING IN and a special look at “Behind the Music: Composing for Sci-Fi, Horror and Fantasy.”  For the privileged few, WonderCon pulled back the curtain and showed us the treasure behind each show.  We were honored and look forward to next year!

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

Photo Credits: Jennifer Schadel

Just ask Chuck Bartowski, Richard Castle, or even the Salvatore Brothers — if you are going to sweep a woman off her feet, what you wear is important. 
 
While wearing a simple white physician’s coat may work for some, like pretty boy Dr. Robert Chase on HOUSE, it is usually a better idea to dress-up a little to catch a woman’s eye — or better yet, dress the part. 
 
Not every guy needs to be dressed the nines like the suave Salvatore Brothers of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES or wearing a debonair suit like Richard Castle in CASTLE, but wearing something that brings out one’s better side and adds to the sex appeal does give one an advantage. 
 
Imagine if Castle wore blue jeans and t-shirts when visiting crime scenes — would Detective Kate Beckett have ever taken notice of his sly one-liners if he had come across so slovenly?  That is a resounding “no!”  It is Castle’s sense of style and panache that catches her eye; for he always dresses as if he were about to take Beckett out on a date.  Let that be a lesson to all men: you never know when the opportunity to ask a woman out may arise, so be prepared!
 

In the case of Bobby Cobb in COUGAR TOWN, he scores better on and off the golf course wearing casual wear, but that is because it suits his laid-back, welcoming style.  One would never expect him to wear anything but the clothes that make him feel confident as a man.
 
And as Chuck Bartowski has learned time and time again, wearing the Nerd Herd/Buy More mandated company attire does not exactly sweep a girl off her feet; but throw on a tuxedo and call yourself Charles Carmichael and suddenly women are falling at your feet. 
 
It is not just at work or when attempting to woo a woman that clothes matter, but for just about any occasion.  Would Joshua on NO ORDINARY FAMILY be as swoon-worthy if not for his distinct style and sense that a man in a suit conveys that he means business on and off the dance floor?  His wardrobe always conveys that he is ready for business — although his idea of business usually means leaving a body or two behind.
 
Another key element to a man’s wardrobe is the perfect costume.  As Vince Faraday learned the hard way in THE CAPE, people just seem to take you more seriously as a superhero if you are wearing the right clothes.  Without his flashy, deadly cape, he is just a man in a mask.  He would not be so intimidating and not quite the larger-than-life symbol to his son if he were to simply stroll around in his blue jeans all the time.  Power demands respect and to get power sometimes you have to have the right look.
 
The same can be said of Arthur Pendragon in MERLIN.  Would he be half as jaw-dropping if he were not constantly suiting up in armor and striding around like the most powerful man around?  Kings do not just wear crowns and robes, they frequently wear armor to convey the message of masculinity and virileness.  Arthur looks just like the average man until that armor goes on and then he commands everyone’s attention.  In fact, with or without the armor, the world bows before him. 
 
Another proponent of the motto “clothes make the man,” Neal Caffrey on WHITE COLLAR has it down to a science.  Whether it be wearing his trademark pristine, perfectly-fitted suit with a fedora or opting for a more mundane casual wear with horn-rimmed glasses in order to keep his prey off guard, Neal knows that every stitch he wears conveys a message.  Subliminal or otherwise, he is constantly manipulating everyone around him by what he wears.  He knows that the right outfit will open doors and open hearts when necessary.
 
Another man who employs the art of the perfect wardrobe for any occasion is Christopher Chance in HUMAN TARGET.  Whether you put him in rugged blue jeans and a torn jacket or a devilishly cut tuxedo, he knows exactly how to blend into his surroundings, becoming a lethal chameleon as necessary to achieve his goals. 
 
In a similar vein, the Winchester boys in SUPERNATURAL have also mastered the art of dressing to impress.  While demon hunting, they opt for blue jeans, t-shirts and a jacket; but if they are posing as FBI or some other government agents, they have their handy suits with dark sunglasses which they can whip out at a moment’s notice.  They are prepared for any contingency and their confidence no matter what they are wearing means they are ready for anything.
 
Then also employing a wonderful sense of provocateur with a bad-ass side, the Salvatore brothers on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES have eternal angst down to an art form.  They may be wearing modern day clothes to blend in, but one gets a sense that at any moment they may walk into our dreams wearing something slightly more old-fashioned, like from a long-lost era when men dressed as gentlemen with white flowing shirts.  Oh maybe that is just my daydream, but with all those flashbacks, we have all seen that a man who can wear a velvet dinner jacket and tight britches is something to dream about.
 
It does not matter whether you dress these particular men up or down, many women would never over-look their drop-dead gorgeous looks anyway, but what they are wearing does send a message about who they are and what kind of attention they are looking for.  Wearing the right clothes is an art form and every man should learn that by simply changing what he is wearing he is sending a message.  He just needs to decide on the message.

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV, AirlockAlpha and InsideBlip.

For an actress who has made a name for herself Stateside in such high profile roles on the likes of ROME and BONES, actress Indira Varma has spent surprisingly little time shooting in the actual United States. HBO’s ROME was shot in Italy, her stint on BONES in the UK, and her latest role, that of Billionaire Philanthropist Ilsa Pucci on HUMAN TARGET shoots in Vancouver, British Columbia! Which is where we had the opportunity to catch up with the actress to chat about what’s in store for her character in the second season of HUMAN TARGET, the perils of procedurals and why UK actors are so obsessed with making it in America.

Ilsa Pucci is giving Chance and his team unlimited means to do with what they will, does she know what she’s getting into?
Indira Varma: Yes, I think so. Of course, when you’re giving someone your money, lots of money, you kind of want to know how it’s being spent. Especially because these guys have a tendency to break the law and pretend they’re above it. Ilsa Pucci is not a lawbreaker, she’s more conventional in that respect and will most definitely be keeping a watchful eye.

What’s her relationship going to be like with Chance in particular?
She is going to be learning about who he is as a person and I think that will be quite fun. It’s hot and cold with them, one minute she’ll think, “Wow he’s done some great stuff here,” only to quickly change her mind when he does something that lets her down. It isn’t going to be a simple relationship. She’ll question him and get him to confront some issues he probably doesn’t want to confront just as he does the same for her. I really think that it’s a match made in heaven. Two strong-willed people who are intelligent, trying to learn about each other and are trying to change each other, despite the fact that you can’t really change someone, can you?

Since TV Audiences love their “will-they-or-won’t-they,” we have to ask the obvious… will they?
Well, it’s TV isn’t it! I think if you’ve got two evenly matched — in different ways — people… a man and a woman who are single, come on… of course it’s going to cross their minds. But I think it’s going to be difficult, she is not a bimbo, like most of the girls last season! No, I’m joking. But Ilsa Pucci is not going to be like that, she’s not a walk over. She’s going to make him work for it, if he wants it that is, I don’t even know if he’ll want it. But if he does, there’s going to be a lot of sparring.

HUMAN TARGET is so much more action oriented than what you’re known for. Was that part of what drew you to the role?
The appeal was that it wasn’t a procedural. If it was, I’d be going out of my nut. I told my agent, please don’t put me on a procedural, because it’s not really acting. I have done it in England and I just personally find it hard. I have huge respect for actors who can do it, can make it interesting and can do it well. But I think sometimes, if you’re playing a cop or a doctor and you have to learn technical jargon, it’s difficult. I want an emotional journey, a psychological one, something to play.

With so many fantastic shows being produced in the UK, what exactly is the appeal for a British actress to come to America?
You get paid better here, that’s really what it comes down to. We have less money to spend on making new drama and new writers and all that and as a result, we don’t quite take the risks, although it probably doesn’t seem like that because you get to see the good stuff that comes over. Obviously, we have great drama, but there is less money and it’s a smaller pool. We look at American TV and think we all want to do THE WIRE and these amazing shows that you have here. That said, my fantasy is to have a transatlantic career and I think that’s everyone’s fantasy. I do like variety and I think you come here and get that. Also, I’m a mixed raced actress and in America I’ve noticed there’s more openness and more opportunity for me on TV. But I’m really lucky to be working. A successful actor is one who can afford to live off acting.

HUMAN TARGET airs Wednesday night at 8PM on FOX (CTV in Canada)

Don’t hate Janet Montgomery because she’s beautiful. Hate her because in the span of a little over a year, the talented young British actress has gone from shooting student films with friends to a string of high profile roles that include stints on ENTOURAGE, HUMAN TARGET and the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film Black Swan. Just how did she do it? We recently had the opportunity to find out from Ms. Montgomery herself while on location with the HUMAN TARGET team in Vancouver British Columbia.

Your big break came on a second season episode of SKINS that saw you play a mysterious young girl showing Tony around University. How did that role come about?
Janet Montgomery: That was my first job and you know what I was incredibly lucky. I was doing a student movie and I already had the part sort of doing a favor for a friend and he said, “Will you come read with some of the guys we’re auditioning.” I was like, “all right,” so I go down there and they happen to be casting SKINS in the same building. Now I didn’t have any representation at the time, just literally got to London, but I knew that Harry Enfield was directing, who was a big comedy directory. He was outside having a cigarette, so I just went up to him thinking I may as well do it and I was like, “Is there a part for me?” And he said, “You know what there might be, come read.” And I got the part. I was so cocky, took a chance and it paid off. And if it didn’t, what was the worst that could have happened? You make a tawt out of yourself for five minutes, just go home, get in a bath and wash it off.

With so many incredible TV shows shooting in England, what do you think is the pull for UK actors to continue coming to America?
I guess Los Angeles is like the mecca for movies and television all over the world. Not that that much shoots there anymore, but it’s where all the studios are. So last spring, I went over there for a few weeks just to kind of see it and not really expecting anything. But I ended up getting an agent, a manager and just working straight away. That just happened to be my path, but I’d love to work in the UK, and all over the world really.

What can fans expect in terms of the relationship between Ames and Winston?
He’s a cop, she’s straight out of “juvie”, so you do the math. In terms of what kind of past they have, she’s cocky, funny and she’s a very interesting character for me to play because she becomes so many different characters. She’s always on the ball, smart and not like super feminine, but brings with her this feminine energy and you get to see this young element she brings, and how the guys react, and sort of take her under her wing.

What has been the “guys” reaction [Co-stars Mark valley, Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley], has the injection of two female energy into the show changed their dynamic?
From what they’ve been saying, it still feels like the same show and watching those three together gives me a good idea for their chemistry and how I can slot into that. And while I know the fans — from doing my research have qualms about bringing a woman on and not wanting the show to change — I think they’re going to be pleasantly surprised with how it works. I know the guys are happy with the dynamic and the way things are progressing, which is important because it’s their show.

Having spent the better part of the past year jumping from incredible part to incredible part, do you welcome the opportunity to stick with one character?
Usually I would say no, as one thing I love about my career is all the different parts I get to play. But what makes Ames so attractive is she is such a chameleon where I really do get to play different parts and bring something different to her every day. I get to wear wigs, have different accents, so in that sense she’s an awesome character to play over and over again and I don’t feel like I’m at the point where it will get stale with her. She’s like this obscure shape with so many different sides for me to explore and I’m just having fun right now.

HUMAN TARGET airs Wednesday night at 8PM on FOX (CTV in Canada)

Hollywood has a history of churning out larger-than-life characters who in real life are anything but. HUMAN TARGET star Chi McBride is not one of those characters. He’s big, boisterous and not afraid to speak his mind. As you’ll quickly discover in this very candid conversation where the opinionated actor pontificates on the business of show (“Nobody knows anything!”), HUMAN TARGET’s newest additions (“Nothing like taking orders from a woman with a Billion dollars!”) and how he predicted the ending to LOST three episodes in! (Spoiler Alert: “They were all f*cking dead!”)

Your imdb resume is a mile long, what do you find you get noticed for most?
Chi McBride: Hmmm… I don’t know man. Probably BOSTON PUBLIC, although it varies. Sometimes it’s Gone in 60 Seconds.

Not PUSHING DAISIES?
Yeah I get that too. When you’ve been fortunate enough to have a fairly long career — and I’ve been in show business for 20 years — it’s nice when people recognize your work but I don’t really keep track of who recognizes what.

Having worked on so many different shows, what — at this point in your career — do you look for before signing onto a series that has the potential to last six or seven years?
Just something that I find entertaining, that I gravitate towards, something reasonably intelligent. You know I don’t have a whole lot of requirements. I’m not one of these guys that has that pretentious artist b*llshit, it’s a job. It’s a really cool job, it’s nice work if you can get it, but at the end of the day it’s all pretend. I don’t sit around and put all of this spin on art, you want to do art, go to a park and paint. Show business is not driven by art, it’s driven by commerce and as long as it doesn’t make you look like a complete f*cking idiot, it’s written well and you find the characters interesting then I go for it and I’ve been very lucky that way. I don’t really choose a project based on how long I think it will be on TV. I would have made a lot of different choices in my career if I had. But at the same time, it’s pretty simple and comes down to projects that interest me.

Have you ever passed on a project where fans would be surprised to discover that Chi McBride could have played “that guy?”
Yes, but I’m not going to tell you what they are.

Does it ever bother you to look back and wonder what could have been?
It never bothers me.

You never look back on that one role that got away?
For what? You know what I mean. I make my decisions based on my own criteria. I don’t have any regrets about things happening, or not happening in my career. I don’t want to trade places with anyone in this business, hell, I don’t want to trade places with anyone in life. So no, I don’t have any regrets. If I thought I’d have regrets, I would have picked them.

So what was it specifically that attracted you to HUMAN TARGET?
Actually there wasn’t anything specific that attracted me to this role. What happened was I read the script, it was the first script I read during that pilot season and there really wasn’t anything in it. Winston was a completely different character, he was like this British kind of museum-curator type character. So I just sent my agent an email, saying there’s nothing in this for me but if somebody handles it correctly it could probably be kinda cool. And that was really it. As is often the case in this business, people kicked about different names and what have you and my name must have come up. The producers said they wanted to meet with me, I talked to them about what I would want to do if I was going to have something to do with this, they listened, were willing to make some adjustments in this character and here we are.

Looking back on the first season, were you happy with it?
I was, but I thought there were some things that could have been improved upon, and I think I wasn’t in the minority which is why I believe some changes and adjustments have been made that will reflect that. I think the show is really taking a different, more upward trajectory in terms of the excitement of the show and less about mythology and more about characters.

So fans can expect less mythology?
It’s just going to be less mythologically driven and I think that was a big driving force last year. [Original Showrunner] John Steinberg had his own vision of what the show would be, and [New Showrunner] Matt Miller had his vision of what the show should be and both the Studio and the Network sided with Matt, which I think is the right thing to do. The only way people really get invested in shows is with the development of characters. Take LOST, me and my old lady were watching the show and in the third episode, when Jack saw his dead father, we both looked at each other at the same time and said “They’re all f*cking dead!” But we watched because the stories were interesting and the characters were interesting. I didn’t care f*ck all what the island was, I didn’t care about any of that sh*t, I wanted to see what was going to happen to these characters. Sawyer was an interesting character, Jin and Sun their story was interesting, all of them, Jack, Hurley, everybody and it was so well acted, so well written and so beautifully developed in terms of characters I couldn’t stop watching it.  I’d wait 4 or 5 weeks so I could watch 4 in a row but that’s because of character, it had nothing to do with mythology and that’s the same thing that holds true here. We’re going to see a lot more about these characters, who they are, where they’ve come from and what events have shaped their life, that’s what makes a show interesting.

One of the biggest changes in the show is the introduction of two new female characters, how’s Winston going to react to having a female boss?
Well you know how guys like to orders from woman, you do the math. 

So not so well?
Nothing like taking orders from a woman who has a billion dollars.

We’d actually be okay with that.
You’d think you would!

The other character is a master thief named Ames who apparently has a connection to Winston.
Well she was a juvenile delinquent that Winston busted her on several occasions. He even gave her a chance to really kind of go clean by lettering her go in a situation she was obviously guilty in. But he’s got a crusader kind of complex, he’s into the people saving business.

Would saving people be part of the reason he’s so loyal to Chance?
Yeah there’s a reason for that and often times when people try to save people it’s because they need saving themselves.

Are you at all worried about the timeslot and premiere date changes that have plagued the show?
My job is to do my job, your job is to love it or hate it and the audience’s job is to decide whether or not it stays on the air. I can only control what happens between action and cut. That’s it, cut and dry, so anything else doing a bunch of hand ringing about something I can’t control nobody knows. The one thing I have learned in this business is that nobody knows a good damn thing. Who thought MIAMI VICE would do what it did, you know? Anthony Yerkovich walks into [then NBC President] Brandon Tartikoff’s office and says ready, “MTV cops!” And the next thing you know you have a cultural phenomenon. Nobody knows.

HUMAN TARGET returns on Wednesday November 17 at 8PM on FOX (November 21 on CTV in Canada

On an uncharacteristically sunny afternoon in Vancouver British Columbia, a man is found bleeding profusely from his right arm. And while normally this would be a cause for concern, there is nothing normal about this beautiful August day. Oh, and did we mention that the man bleeding is none other than Mark Valley?

“[Guest Star] Molly Parker just found out that I killed her husband and she wasn’t very happy about it,” explained the affable actor, while taking a break on location from shooting HUMAN TARGET’s second episode of the season. “I’m pretty sure she was trying to kill me, but she just winged me.”

Luckily for Valley, not to mention the 8 million or so loyal viewers that helped turn HUMAN TARGET into one of the surprise hits of last season — the actor, alongside co-stars Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley — know a thing or two about dodging bullets and defying odds. After-all, saving the lives of the rich and powerful on a weekly basis is nothing when compared to the often perilous and cutthroat world of Network television which saw a second season renewal for HUMAN TARGET contingent on a few strings attached in the form of a new showrunner (Matt Miller) and a few fresh faces (ROME’s Indira Varma and ENTOURAGE’s Janet Montgomery). So just what does Valley think of all the changes?

“They’ve changed some things around, but the essence of the show is still together. It’s really not veering off in any different direction, it’s still the same show, same people and same team,” explained Valley optimistically. “We have a couple of new characters who are going to make things interesting, but I’m pretty happy and from what we’ve been shooting thus far, it’s been a lot of fun.”

In other words, Valley has absolutely no issue with the surprise reversal of HUMAN TARGET’s “No Girls Allowed” policy that permeated throughout the show’s first season.

“Like Chi [McBride] says, we can’t wait to have a woman show up to tell us what to do! The three of us are really kind of looking forward to that. I think whenever you bring anyone into a cast it sort of changes the mix up a little bit, another ingredient to the soup in a way,” countered Valley “But the way I see it, it’s going to be kind of interesting to see the attitudes that everyone has of training someone new, or training someone who has promise in our line of work. Plus, I think it’s going to bring up character’s authority issues from having a boss.”

Which brings us to the slightly awkward albeit painfully obvious question that seems to pop up anytime two good looking people face-off on the small screen. Where does he stand on the obligatory will-they-or-won’t-they debate that will undoubtedly spring up online the moment Valley’s Christopher Chance sets his sights on new boss Ilsa Pucci (Varma)?

“Chemistry is as chemistry does so I think it’s going to depend on where our writers want to take it and what they see happening and where they see some potential,” admitted Valley. “I just really want to make a good TV show and if they decide that that’s something that’s going to enhance the story or teach us more about Chance or the other characters, I’m all for it.”

Until then, fans should pretty much expect what they’ve come to know and love from the series thus far: A whole lot of action and stunts galore. Something that suits Valley just fine.

“To be honest with you, I want to do as much as possible. In fact, we haven’t really done enough parachuting I don’t think, free falling would be kind of fun, and I’d like to see him fly and airplane, perhaps a helicopter. Oh, and I’d like to become a better motorcyclist and if the show can help me reach that goal so be it!”

HUMAN TARGET premieres on Wednesday November 17 at 8PM on FOX (November 21 on CTV in Canada)

Television showrunners have a way with words.

Ask them about an upcoming episode and they’ll more often than not call it a “game changer!” Express your disdain for a storyline that may-or-may-not have completely come out of left field and they’ll defend it as “organic.” Dare to point out that the network moving their show to Friday night spells doom and they’ll inexplicably see it as an “opportunity!” Seriously, a television showrunner can spin just about anything. Which is precisely why we wanted to take this opportunity to share a Hollywood rarity: A refreshingly honest admission that recently found its way into our inbox.

“Fitting for a series called HUMAN TARGET, we dodged a bullet when the network announced the show was relocating from Friday to Wednesday nights,” was how new HUMAN TARGET showrunner Matt Miller kicked off a letter to the media [via an email sent by FOX] in promoting the upcoming second season premiere of the show which is set to bow on Wednesday November 17 at 8PM on FOX.

Just a little something to keep in mind the next time a showrunner tries to convince you about just how “excited” they are about the move to Friday nights.