It's FALL (TV Season).....
The Paley Center for Media held their annual Fall Preview event in Los Angeles and New York where the networks graciously roll out their wares ahead of their scheduled airdates. In the 9 (maybe this is the 10th year) of the events it usually is the first time that the viewing public has been able to watch the pilots ahead of time but in the past two or three years the networks have gotten more savvy and have begun rolling out select pilots before the airdates. ABC released “Forever”, “Selfie” and “Black-ish” to Hulu; NBC released “A to Z”, “Constantine” “leaked” as did CW’s “The Flash” and FOX released “Red Band Society” as well as held screenings of it across the country.
CW Night
The Flash
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
Spin-off of “Arrow” starring Grant Gustin, a real life Jimmy Neutron, as Barry Allen police forensic scientist turned speedster after a lightning storm.
Barry’s secret is found out by Dr. Wells of S.T.A.R Labs (Tom Cavanaugh, “Ed”) who has been tracking the creation of metahumans after the lightning storm. He is assisted by Dr. Snow (Danielle Panabaker) and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) in testing Barry’s ability.
While in a coma after the storm the girl of his dreams/childhood friend Iris (Candice Patton) and daughter of Barry’s boss/father figure (Jesse L. Martin) Det. Joe West has taken up with the flashy (heh) Det. Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett).
This stupidly attractive cast
Too wrapped up in his new abilities and the awareness that the mystery of his mother’s murder may be tied into metahumans to worry about Iris and Thawne, Barry delights in his ability.
I liked it. It’s a great return to lighter comic adaptations. It’s like “Smallville” in that respect. Except that Grant Gustin can’t hold a candle to Tom Welling. He’s not even fit to hold Tom’s golf bag.
What “Flash” has going for it are the guest stars that will make me tune in. Robbie Amell (“The Tomorrow People” ) has been cast as Ronnie Raymond who is Firestorm (or half of Firestorm) in the comics.
And between “The Flash” and “Arrow” there’s a “Prison Break” reunion.
“Arrow” will have Rob Knepper who played “T-Bag” on “Prison Break” playing Clock King and Peter Stormare who played John Abruzzi on PB will appear as another version of Count Vertigo, previously played by Seth Gable of “Salem”. While “Arrow” reunites the Michael Scofield and his not-buttoning-up-his-shirt-all-the-way brother Lincoln Burrows
Damn you to hell, Linc!
when Wentworth Miller appears as Leonard Snart/Captain Cold and Dominic Purcell as “Heatwave”.
When I think of The Flash being double-teamed this is not what I had in mind
Also being reunited on “The Flash” are John Wesley Shipp who already has a role on the series
and his “Flash” costar Amanda Pays who will play a re-imaging of her character Tina McGee.
Pays hasn’t acted much in the past few years as she is an interior designer. The last IMDB credit she has is for an episode of “Psych” where she played the blind date of real life husband Corbin Bernsen’s character.
Pays, Bernsen and their son Oliver
And dear heart Brandon Routh is funning it up on set in his role as Ray Palmer, “The Atom”.
Barrowman tweeted that he always wanted to be behind Superman. Don’t we all?
“Yes, “Superman Returns” sucked but how can you not like me?!”
Jane the Virgin
Wendy Williams recently ate crow (crow gumbo) because Kanye West and Kim Kardashian stayed married past 72 days. If I could find someone to kill a crow with me, I’d cook me up some crow etouffée because I thought I would hate this show. At the mixer beforehand a guy said, “I guarantee you no one is here for this show” and I agreed, telling him I was heading to the bar to get a drink because I would need one to get through the pilot. I even felt annoyed that I had to endure “Jane the Virgin” to get to the panel portion of the night. When the “To Be Continued” card flashed on the screen (it’s fashioned liked a telenovela) the audience gasped. Followed by murmurs of “That was really good”, “I like it”. My own friend turned to me to say, “Is it weird that I found that cute?” It won the crowd over.
Based on a Venezuelan telenovela, “Juana la virgin” “Jane the Virgin” stars Gina Rodriguez as Jane Villanueva a woman who has clung to her virginity at the behest of her grandmother Alba (Ivonne Coll) due to Jane’s mome Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) becoming pregnant with Jane at 16. 24 years old with a steady boyfriend, Michael (Brett Dier), Jane dares not to go any further until marriage.
During a routine checkup she is artificially inseminated with the sperm of hotel owner Rafael (Justin Baldoni), a man who unknowingly has crossed paths with Jane before.
Rafael and his wife Petra (Yael Grobglas) both want the child for different reasons and ask Jane to carry their child as a surrogate.
The series will follow Jane’s decision, her relationship with her boyfriend, Rafael and his marriage to Petra as well as the mystery of a man from Jane’s mother’s past, Rogelio (Jaime Camil)
The insemination plot was why I knew I was going to hate the show. I don’t see how you can mine comedy from someone who was impregnated without consent and being badgered by family to keep it. But the show outlines how the decision can be made and, unlike what I believed, the reasons aren’t religious based ones (as the trailer leads you to believe) but personal ones from the family’s experiences so the conceit of the show is more palatable when presented with the scenario as a whole.
Tidbits from the Panel
On hand for “Jane the Virgin” was show’s creator Jenny Snyder-Urman, producer Ben Silverman, actors Gina Rodriguez and Jaime Camill. For “Flash” on hand was Candice Patton and Jesse L. Martin and show’s showrunner Andrew Kreisenberg and producer Greg Berlanti. The star of the show Grant Gustin was to be in attendance but the morning of he posted a video to Facebook explaining that he was sick and couldn’t attend. I know it’s a drag traveling when you’re sick but Berlanti had to leave Robbie Rogers behind in bed.
That’s a greater sacrifice IMHO.
It’s been five years since Silverman, the former enfant terrible co-chair of Entertainment for NBC departed that job (or forced out from, as some suggests) , and almost as long since he held rank at his reality show hitmaker production studio Reveille, Silverman’s absence from running a network hasn’t quelled his grasp of business trends. When Abrams stated that “Jane the Virgin” was a odd fit for the CW with its superhero and action shows, Silverman reminded her that five or six years ago, “Jane..” would be a perfect fit for the CW; an acknowledgement of when the network catered to the female demographic with “Gossip Girl”, “America’s Next Top Model”, “90210” and “One Tree Hill”.
Silverman also pointed out that audiences are fans of shows, not networks which is certainly true thanks to viewers watching the shows on various platforms and not live on the specific network. There’s no brand loyalty for networks. People don’t watch NBC shows strictly because it’s NBC.
*Gina is a joy. Jesse L. Martin really enjoyed her. As Jane she’s an incredibly delightful lead but as an individual, even better. The moderator stated that Gina passed on Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” for “Jane the Virgin”.
Gina cleared that up, “To say I declined the role would mean that I had it… so…let’s not get it twisted. Let us clarify. I had a talent deal and (Lifetime’s) “Devious Maids” was one of the ones that was presented to me. And of course because that is one of the only Latino shows on air, that is definitely a question I get often. The truth is I have declined a lot of roles not because I have a whole bunch of money in the bank---because that’s definitely not the truth-but because I got into acting, like many have said, it’s not brain surgery, but I got into acting to make a difference. Growing up I didn’t see myself on screen very often and I didn’t see myself or see my body type or see my skin color in positive roles and I felt that very sincerely I felt that. And I thought to myself if this makes me feel limited then how can I liberate? And by taking roles that continue to limit me is not going to do the journey I set out to do.
I think the blessing I have for acting is that I thankfully get to do it every day and I get to play a role model. I get to play somebody who is strong, and intelligent, who wants to be a teacher and moving forward with her life and has dreams and she can be something that I lacked as a child and she can be that for so many others. And so it wasn’t just “Devious Maids” because I love those women and I wish them success, I wish failure on no one because lord knows I don’t want anyone to wish failure on us. But that wasn’t going to be my journey. My journey was patience and faith and then “Jane the Virgin” came long and it paid off. “
*Jenny Snyder Urman says the show won’t stay very close to the original. The biggest change in “Jane the Virgin” from “Juana la Virgin”? On the original series, Juana is 17-years old (though Snyder erroneously said she was 16-years old)
“I’m clearly a virgin, just so you know.”, joked Rodriguez.
*Candice Patton says she a Batman fan, not a Flash fan, but when she got the role she begin buying the Flash title so that she could understand why people loved the character. Although she uses the script more to inform her characterization. She echoed Gina’s sentiments about representation.
“I can only reiterate what Gina is saying. For me to be a Black woman playing this role..
Gina: I know….
Candice: Gawd almighty. Someone is out there looking out for me! I want to thank these guys and Geoff Johns and the CW for allowing me to be in this role and give hope and inspiration to other young girls who look like me and are marginalized. It’s a great place to be in.
*Kreisenberg said the idea of spinning off “The Flash” came in S1 of “Arrow” when they were breaking the 13th or 14th episode. He said Greg Berlanti suggested, “We should spin off the Flash”. I thought, “I can even barely do one of these.” Berlanti suggested they have Barry for two episodes and then one of then one would be the backdoor pilot. The decided to give it its own standalone pilot versus an episode.
He said the key was Grant Gustin and that Greg felt if they hadn’t found Grant who was so wonderful in the eps that they might not have spun it off at all.
*They said that they will draw from . Andrew: My favorite growing up was “Crisis on Infinite Earths” that I’m sure you all are not aware of because you had lives.
Greg: Speaking of virgins….
*Andrew Kreisenberg says Barry and Iris’ relationship harkens back to “When Harry Met Sally” with one character being in love with the other while the other is unaware. Or the relationship between Albert Brooks and Holly Hunter in “Broadcast News”. The friendship is what they find nice about them. That they’re the kind of friends who have late night phone calls and finish each other sentences.
*Jesse wasn’t too keen on playing a cop again but he met with them anyway and was interested in the surrogate father role his character has to Barry. He told a friend he was possibly up for the role and his friend said he’d kill him if he didn’t take it.
CBS Night
Scorpion
I lazed out of transcribing the panel but I will do so. My top choice of CBS’ night. Such a great show. The pilot is outstanding, directed by “The Fast and the Furious” (2 through 6) helmer Justin Lin, “Scorpion” is a tight thrill a minute action-drama with the heart of former ABC show “Probe” or “Numbers”.
“Scorpion” is inspired by the life of real-life genius Walter O’Brien (who was on hand at the Paley Center for Media and also serves as the show advisor.) who runs a company that employs super-geniuses.
In “Scorpion”, after being arrested as a young child for hacking into the White House servers by FBI Agent Cabe Gallo (Robert Patrick) Walter (Elyes (pronounced “Alias) Gabel) is recruited to work for the Feds. Now, years later as an adult Gallo comes to Walter for a favor: to stop a possible terrorist act. Untrusting of Gallo after being burned by him, Walter does so on the condition that he can use his team: math genius Sylvester (Ari Stidham), master mechanic and electrical whiz Happy (Jadyn Wong) and behaviourlist Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas). It’s on this mission that Walter meets waitress Paige (Katherine McPhee) and her son who provide the humanity component that his team lacks in order to solve their case.
O’Brien is a fascinating character. Instead of classifying themselves as geniuses, O’Brien uses the term mentally enabled, the opposite of disabled. It’s his idea that geniuses are wired differently like a different form of being mentally challenged. By his stats people who are mentally enabled are 20% likelier to commit suicide, 20% likelier be unemployed or be addicted to drugs or alcohol. They largely have problems interacting socially which is hard to contemplate considering how accessible and vibrant the real Walter O’Brien is, but he himself admits that he is lacking an emotional center which provides for TV’s O’Brien to be emotionally tone-deaf and abrupt.
The idea for the show came about when he told his story to a producer (the events that unfolds in the pilot is true to life). He went on to create his own company that employs mentally enabled people but what is happening is that he’s finding it hard to recruit. So as well as telling his story he is using the show as a recruitment tool in order to bring more mentally enabled people to the fold to show them that they are not alone. While he acknowledges this show will put him in the public eye and make him lose his anonymity he feels it’s important to recruit those who would fall into the category of statistic to work for his company or even better to make them feel less alone in the world.
How the woman reacted during “The Mysteries of Laura” is how I reacted to “Scorpion”. I was over the moon by the prospect of Walter and Paige as a couple for some reason. There are just some couples that you root for and I like the idea of Walter learning empathy from Paige as well as guiding her son.
Kat McPhee may be hooking up with Elyes
At least he’s not married unlike her last paramour
*That being her “Smash” director and husband of actress Mary McCormack.
Elyes is so lucky to share breathing room with Jorah my Amore Mormont
Keep speaking the truth Ygriette and Sansa!
Madam Secretary
Surprisingly I enjoyed this. I’ve never been a fan of Tea Leoni if I’m honest because people kept comparing her to Lucille Ball during the run of “The Naked Truth”. No one can be Lucille Ball. Leoni isn’t even Lucie Arnaz.
Leoni stars as Elizabeth Faulkner McCord, a former government official who is living a quiet life with her husband Henry (Tim Daly)
and their children when she is called into service of Secretary of State by her close friend who just happens to be the President of the United States (Keith Carradine).
Elizabeth has to navigate the inner workings of the White House especially when it comes to protocol that causes her to clash with Russell Jackson, the White House’s Chief of Staff (Željko Ivanek being as asshole-y as usual)
and other government staffers (Bebe Neuwirth, Patina Miller and Geoffrey Arnend. AKA Mr. Christina Hendricks)
Christina in THR with Vivienne Westwood in a story about designer and their muses
The only supporters she has is her assistant Blake (Erich Bergen) and George (William Sadler). The latter who warns her of a government cover up.
Very solid dramatic procedural with comedic undertones. It’s a perfect fit for “The Good Wife”. The entire cast is likeable although I hope they don’t focus too much on her ridiculous kids. TV Kids are the worst!
The cast with show’s executive producer Morgan Freeman
Stalker
I give Kevin Williamson leeway with “The Following” because while violent, like the more violent “Hannibal” the violence is stylized. It’s creative to slightly distract from the horror. “Stalker”, at least the pilot, is just horrific violence meted upon people. I found it too disturbing to find entertaining.
Maggie Q stars as Maggie Q as Lieutenant Beth Davis as the head of LAPD’s stalker unit who clashes with her new partner in Detective Jack Larsen (Dylan McDermott). The show follows the duo and the rest of their team (Victor Rasuk, Elisabeth Rohm and Mariana Klaveno) as they tackle the various stalking crimes around the city.
I don’t mind seeing Dylan McDermott on my TV.
You know why
But I think he’s miscast in this role. The show establishes early on that Larsen has a dark edge to him but he’s a wise-cracking character like Ryan Reynolds would play and I don’t see McDermott being that person. He gives off the vibe that he will be your best worst mistake. Yeah, he’ll ruin your credit, screw your friends, your mom even, but wow, was it fun while it lasted.
NCIS: New Orleans
Yes, laugh, LAUGH at this horrible photoshop
CBS aired the backdoor pilot from a NCIS episode instead of showing a standalone episode.
It was my first time watching NCIS. Not a fan of those jarring stings and wackiness of Michael Weatherly on NCIS. NCIS: New Orleans has the bonus of still handsome Scott Bakula at least and CCH Pounder who is great. It’s great to see Lucas Black working with his bonafide Southern accent (Alabama native. Roll tide) that sounds like crayfish, gumbo, hush puppies and pecan praline…I am so hungry right now.
If you like all of the CSIs and NCIS’ I suppose this is an easy sell.
The McCarthys
Another unfunny CBS comedy with an overbearing laugh track that will probably last a full season or two.
“The McCarthys” focuses on a tight-knit Boston family (hence New Kids on the Block’s Joe McIntyre being cast because he’s more Boston than baked beans and tea in a harbor).
The pilot centers on Ronny (Tyler Ritter, John’s other acting son)
Tyler with siblings Jason and Carly with mom Nancy
trying to decide on whether to leave Boston for a career opportunity. A decision that causes angst in his mother Marjorie (Laurie Metcalf). Ronny’s plans fall into disarray after his father Arthur (Jack McGee) has his own career upset that sends Ronny’s siblings brothers Gerald and Sean (Joey McIntyre, Jimmy Dunn) and his sister Jackie (Kelen Coleman) into panic mode.
The show mines (or tries to) over the fact that Ronny is openly gay and while his family accepts him they do so in the most cringeworth embarassing ways.
I would not have believed “2 Broke Girls” would last this long so I can’t even give odds on this one.
FOX Night
The Red Band Society
*My previously posted thoughts on the panel.
Now this I loved. FOX released the pilot after challenging fans to post about the show on social media and FOX would donate money to charity in exchange ($100,000).They also held screenings across the country where they raised donations and you get a t-shirt in exchange.
I attended the L.A screening with cast members Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Nolan Sotillo, Ciara Bravo(I thought she spelled her name Sierra and I marveled how cool her named sounded. It’s like CB radio talk) and series creator Margaret Nagle (writer S1 “Boardwalk Empire” and teleplays).
Hired by Steven Speilberg, Nagle was asked to develop a remake of the Spanish language series, ‘Polseres Vermelles’ about a group of kids in a hospital.
Polseres Vermelles” cast
Nagle had real life experience with this since her brother Charlie was comatose for years so she spent plenty of time around the children’s ward. Since then she has volunteered at children’s hospital in L.A.
Nagle made slight changes to the original by bringing in the adult characters and adding another girl.
“Red Band Society” deals with a group of friends in the children’s ward at a hospital. Leo is the defacto leader (Charlie Rowe) who has cancer. Brian “Astro” Bradley is Leo’s best friend and co-conspirator who has cystic fibrosis, and Leo’s girlfriend Emma (Ciara Bravo) who has an eating disorder. They get two new pals in Kara (Zoe Levin) a conceited cheerleader with a heart defect and Jordi (Nolan Sotillo) who has cancer and took it upon himself to come to the hospital for treatment by its top doctor Dr. Jack McAndrew (Dave Annabelle). The kids are entertained by an eccentric multi-millionaire hospital benefactor who lives in the hospital (Griffin Dunne) and watched over by Nurse Jackson (Octavia Spencer) and unbeknownst to them by Charlie (Griffin Gluck) a comatose boy who observes all the goings-on in the hospital.
It’s like “The Breakfast Club” and “My So-Called Life” (Nagle was in “My So-Called Life” and a fan which is why she cast Wilson Cruz as nurse in the series. She also says she’s courting cast members from “The Breakfast Club” to make appearances throughout the series.
Cliches abound and it’s pretty predictable but it’s cute and very sweet and sincere in its approach. It’s like early “Glee” but with a softer touch.
Tidbits from the Q&A:
*Nolan won the role by breaking out a guitar at the audition and singing (Annabelle says “nice move” and fistbumps him). Nagle said that she swooned. She called Spielberg and told him she was sending him the tape of his audition but she feels that they’ve found their Jordi. He told her she was pulled in by his singing so she told him to show it to his wife and daughter. Afterwards he called her and said that he was hired. They fell for Nolan too).
*Ciara says she takes the role really seriously and realizes that taking on a role as someone with anorexia required her to have more education about eating disorders.
*Spencer was asked what made her, an Oscar winner, take the series and she replied that winning the Oscar didn’t gain her great scripts. This was by far better than what she’s been receiving.
The cast stayed around afterwards for pictures. I was hoping to get a close-up one of Octavia but I knew the moderator kinda sorta so I went over to say hello to her and we began talking so by the time we finished, Octavia had gone. Anabelle stayed until the very last. I couldn’t even bring myself to say something to him he is so attractive. Attractive and sweet. He was asking everyone about themselves and cracking jokes. The display fell over at one point and he shouted out, “Don’t worry, I’m a doctor!”
Nolan
Tidbits from the Paley Q and A:
*Since the cast shoots in Georgia the only actors who they could spare were Wilson Cruz and Rebecca Rittenghouse who play Kenzie Gomez-Rejon (named after pilot’s director and “American Horror Story”s director/EP Alfonso Gomez-Rejon) and Brittany Dobler, respectively. Both have little to do in the pilot but during the panel it’s revealed that they’re characters will have more to do. Unlike Griffin Dunne’s character who the show has no real plans to utilize often.
*Wilson was the crackup of the panel with the moderator declaring that he was on fire. Wilson: “Next I’m gonna be in the writers’ room. We’ll talk about contracts later.” After discussing the musical talents of the cast (Cruz,Octavia Spencer, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe are singers) Wilson suggested the show be called the “Rent Band Society”. Rebecca mentioned Charlie’s time as a boybander and recommend the producer watch the Youtube videos, “There was thrusting and hips shaking!” Talking about the possible love triangle between Dave Annable’s Dr. Jack McAndrew and Nurse Brittany and McAndrew’s ex-wife to be played by Mandy Moore, Cruz wanted in on the action. “I’m throwing my hat in the ring. Dave Annable. What a man. And he’s married to a Latina (actress Odette Yustman)?! I’m halfway there.”
*Discussing how the writers make sure the show has levity, Cruz talked about shadowing two of his friends who are nurses. He says that they are two of the most fun people because they know how to keep their work at the hospital. He reasons that they see life and death every day and it can be so stressful and hard that to be able to get through the next day or even the week, for their survival hospital workers have to distance themselves from the job once the shift is over. He likened it to watching someone complete a Broadway show and he wipes off the makeup and takes off the costume once outside the stage doors (pretends as if he’s asking someone, casually), “Martini?”
*The show’s Executive Producer Rina Mimoun says that it’s a very real possibility that one of the kids will die in the first season.
*Cruz said that he wasn’t prepared for the success that came from “My So-Called Life” so he’s ready to see how success will come for his costars who are younger than he was when he did MSCL. Though he says many of them have been working longer than he was at that time.
Gotham
I actually went in on this with low expectations because I just expected it to not live up to the hype. IMO it didn’t but it’s not to say it isn’t an intriguing show.
New member to the Gotham City PD James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is trying to be a beacon of light within its corrupt forces. Paired with Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), a man who turns a blind eye to the goings on within the force and outside such as the criminal activities of gangland boss Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and her lackey Oswald Cobblepot, the future Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor).
The murder of the city’s royalty Thomas and Martha Wayne spurs Gordon into further action as he vows to their young son Bruce (David (pronounced Dah-veed) Mazouz) that he will find their killer.
The relationship between Gordon and young Bruce in the pilot is a very special one to me and McKenzie and Mazouz serves it well. I was completely sold on them. And while I have this discussion with my friends seemingly every few weeks, I don’t think very many actors captured Bruce Wayne well well but in Mazouz, I can see the budding of that formidable man. A man whose being was crafted by tragedy, yes, but also by the sure-handed guidance of Alfred (Sean Pertwee).
What is compelling to me is that Bruce is given a lifeline…a hope of justice from this man of principle at the moment he most needs it and we, the viewers, know that it will be paid back to Gordon hundred-fold in the future as Batman helps future!verse Gordon a man world weary and beaten down keep his head above water while floating in the cesspool that is “Gotham” .
But the series is called “Gotham” and I think fans are more interested in the origins of Penguin, The Riddler and Catwoman and I think that’s the weakest part of the show because Gordon and Wayne are rooted in realism and the others are cartoonish or just anvilicious (we’re introduced to Edward Nygma/Riddler (Cory Michael Smith) as a riddle telling morgue employee).
What is interesting is the city of “Gotham” itself. It’s like a place out of time with retro checkered cabs, characters who talk and dress like characters out of “Dick Tracy”and Bullock’s flip phone. It’s also a place in the midst of change with the old school mob ways of Falcone and Maroni clashing against Mooney’s less elegant ways.
I will give it a go and see if I warm up more to the whole of the show.
Gotham cast hanging out
The Riddler and Penguin plotting over dranks
Jada recently celebrated her 43rd birthday.
Her husband Will Smith took to Facebook.
Gracepoint
Based on the UK series “Broadchurch” in which David Tennant also starred, “Gracepoint” is a less surreal but equally moody, “Twin Peaks”.
Tennant stars as Detective Emmett Carver, new to the Gracepoint Police force on the heels of the murder of a child that devastates the sleepy town. Paired with Detective Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn) who has a personal connect to the murdered kid and his family the Solanos (Michael Pena, Virginia Krull and Madalyn Horcher), the pair embarks on the finding the killer.
The only thing I find interesting about the show is that I think it’ll be neat to see what changes they make from “Broadchurch”. I think it’ll be like the various endings of “Clue”: most things will remain the change but the killer and motivation of characters will likely differ. Found it a bit of a slog, really.
The show also stars Kevin Zegers as Ellie’s journalist nephew who leaks the story to out of town journo Renee Clemons (Jessica Lucas) and Nick Nolte, Kevin Rankin, Josh Hamilton, Jessica Lucas, Jacki Weaver and this former “The Vampire Diaries” babe, Kendrick Sampson
With TV girlfriend Madelyn Horcher
Mulaney
It began early because it was the same day of the FOX Fall party so I missed the pilot but made it in time for the Q&A.
*They showed two scenes from the second season of “Sleepy Hollow” with an introduction by new series regular John Noble.
NBC Night
The Mysteries of Laura
Terrible title. It’s as if it was a placeholder that never got revisited. But the title, IMO, is the worst thing about the show. The critics have ravaged it the way they smashed “Smash” but I think it’s just because they’re not accustomed to a comedy masquerading as a hour long police procedural. It’s very reminiscent of the Melissa McCarthy/Sandra Bullock film “The Heat” with Messing as the McCarthy character and Laz Alonso and Janina Gavankar as her partner and competitive officer, respectively in the Sandra Bullock role. Because they are finite, films have more allowances to be a hybrid, whereas people want a definitive tone for their series. I think the main issue critics are having with “The Mysteries of Laura” besides its 1970s NBC Tuesday Night Mysteries title is that it seems uneven, but it is purposely so.
“The Mysteries of Laura” stars Messing as Detective Laura Diamond, a unconventional long arm of the law with a great arrest record and a great partner in Billy Soto (the hottie hot hot hot Laz Alonso). Her home life isn’t as stable as her career as she struggles to raise her twin pre-school aged hellions with her less than helpful estranged husband Lt. Jake Broderick (the whisky voiced Josh Lucas).
The comedy is sometimes as blunt as Laura’s techniques in nabbing her criminal, but it’s a nice return to females doing broad comedy.
It may not be everyone’s cuppa but there was a woman at the screening who was positively giddy during the last few scenes. GIDDY! I had to turn around to see what was going on. She was clutching her hands to her chest and beaming. No clue in what she was reacting to, but maybe it’s because the show is a rarity that shows the struggle in achieving “having it all”.
Marry Me
The desperation wafts off of it. Created by “Happy Endings” creator David Caspe and starring his wife and “Happy Endings”/”SNL” star Casey Wilson alongside Ken Marino (“Party Down”, “Veronica Mars”, “Marry Me” is a series loosely based on Caspe and Wilson’s relationship,.
The show focuses on the rocky road to marriagedom for couple Annie (Wilson) and Jake (Marino) as their family (Annie’s two dads Kevin One (Tim Meadows) and Kevin Two (Dan Buckatinsky) and Jake’s mother Myrna (JoBeth Williams) and friends (Jakes’s best friend Gil -John Gemberling) and Annie’s BFF Dennah (Sarah Wright Olsen)
Caspe who did the Q&A with Wilson, Marino and Meadows and show’s Executive Producer Seth Gordon,
kept saying how Annie is based on Casey and Casey is a handful. By the fifth time he said this Casey said, “You’re the one coming off bad. I look great.” And that’s the relationship between Annie and Jake: she’s over the top and he’s long suffering and it just feels like a too long Groundlings skit.
Caspe says the show opens up and it will become more of an ensemble show. I hope so because it’s tiring watching these characters bicker. And even worse is that it’s not remotely funny.
Constantine
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
TV version of the character made popular in DC’s imprint Vertigo’s “Hellblazer”. John Constantine is a demonologist and dark magician who has voluntarily institutionalized himself to get away from the demon business. Dark forces appear making him realize he needs to return to the demon hunting business.
Just meh. It’s a bit weak, as is Matt Ryan who plays Constantine. Jeremy Davies is in the pilot and that increased the quality. I think it will be good, it has the potential to be REALLY good, but I’m unsure what is holding it back. I think it will depend on the characters you surround Constantine with. Right now we have Manny (Harold Perrinneau) and angel who tries to make sure Constantine doesn’t overstep and Chas (Charles Halsford) Constantine’s oldest friend and fellow demonologist.
After the pilot leak it was announced that NBC was replacing the pilot lead, Lucy Griffiths with a new character; so they reshot the pilot’s ending because the crux of the pilot was that her character was super important and Constantine had to protect her at all cost.
Her character is being replaced by one from the DCU: Zed played by Angélica Celaya.
Upon the third viewing, my thoughts on the show still have not changed. One showrunner explained that shows need until the third episode to get going and I try to keep that in mind. I think they’re so busy rushing to get to series and providing a good follow up that TPTB don’t really get their grove until a few episodes in. I hope that’s the case with this show. But reading up about the character on Wikipedia? Damn, Hellblazer dealt with some dark stuff and I don’t’ think NBC, even being a network that airs “Hannibal” will touch it.
A to Z
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
Created by Ben Queen who created the short-lived FOX series “Drive” as well as the writer/producer of “Cars 2”; and executive produced by Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation”) and Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”), “A to Z” is another version of “How I Met Your Mother”…and not because series’ star Cristin Milioti was the titular ‘mother’ of HIMYM.
Zelda (Milioti) is a lawyer who is wary of relationships, Andrew who works at an internet dating site is a hopeless romantic The two fall for each other and as series’ narrator Katey Sagal explains in the introduction, Andrew and Zelda will date for eight months, three weeks, five days and one hour. This is the comprehensive account of their relationship.
It was a struggle to get through this one. I had to pull all my inner strength to the fore and barrel through. The leads have no appeal, it’s not funny. It’s perfect that it was produced by Jones and McCormack because I feel the same way about them.
I was more entertained by the comparing Milioti’s smile to the characters in Dreamworks films.
I still hated the pilot on the second viewing.
*” Bad Judge” starring Kate Walsh was due to screen but NBC pulled it at the last minute.
CW Night
The Flash
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
Spin-off of “Arrow” starring Grant Gustin, a real life Jimmy Neutron, as Barry Allen police forensic scientist turned speedster after a lightning storm.
Barry’s secret is found out by Dr. Wells of S.T.A.R Labs (Tom Cavanaugh, “Ed”) who has been tracking the creation of metahumans after the lightning storm. He is assisted by Dr. Snow (Danielle Panabaker) and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) in testing Barry’s ability.
While in a coma after the storm the girl of his dreams/childhood friend Iris (Candice Patton) and daughter of Barry’s boss/father figure (Jesse L. Martin) Det. Joe West has taken up with the flashy (heh) Det. Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett).
This stupidly attractive cast
Too wrapped up in his new abilities and the awareness that the mystery of his mother’s murder may be tied into metahumans to worry about Iris and Thawne, Barry delights in his ability.
I liked it. It’s a great return to lighter comic adaptations. It’s like “Smallville” in that respect. Except that Grant Gustin can’t hold a candle to Tom Welling. He’s not even fit to hold Tom’s golf bag.
What “Flash” has going for it are the guest stars that will make me tune in. Robbie Amell (“The Tomorrow People” ) has been cast as Ronnie Raymond who is Firestorm (or half of Firestorm) in the comics.
And between “The Flash” and “Arrow” there’s a “Prison Break” reunion.
“Arrow” will have Rob Knepper who played “T-Bag” on “Prison Break” playing Clock King and Peter Stormare who played John Abruzzi on PB will appear as another version of Count Vertigo, previously played by Seth Gable of “Salem”. While “Arrow” reunites the Michael Scofield and his not-buttoning-up-his-shirt-all-the-way brother Lincoln Burrows
Damn you to hell, Linc!
when Wentworth Miller appears as Leonard Snart/Captain Cold and Dominic Purcell as “Heatwave”.
When I think of The Flash being double-teamed this is not what I had in mind
Also being reunited on “The Flash” are John Wesley Shipp who already has a role on the series
and his “Flash” costar Amanda Pays who will play a re-imaging of her character Tina McGee.
Pays hasn’t acted much in the past few years as she is an interior designer. The last IMDB credit she has is for an episode of “Psych” where she played the blind date of real life husband Corbin Bernsen’s character.
Pays, Bernsen and their son Oliver
And dear heart Brandon Routh is funning it up on set in his role as Ray Palmer, “The Atom”.
Barrowman tweeted that he always wanted to be behind Superman. Don’t we all?
“Yes, “Superman Returns” sucked but how can you not like me?!”
Jane the Virgin
Wendy Williams recently ate crow (crow gumbo) because Kanye West and Kim Kardashian stayed married past 72 days. If I could find someone to kill a crow with me, I’d cook me up some crow etouffée because I thought I would hate this show. At the mixer beforehand a guy said, “I guarantee you no one is here for this show” and I agreed, telling him I was heading to the bar to get a drink because I would need one to get through the pilot. I even felt annoyed that I had to endure “Jane the Virgin” to get to the panel portion of the night. When the “To Be Continued” card flashed on the screen (it’s fashioned liked a telenovela) the audience gasped. Followed by murmurs of “That was really good”, “I like it”. My own friend turned to me to say, “Is it weird that I found that cute?” It won the crowd over.
Based on a Venezuelan telenovela, “Juana la virgin” “Jane the Virgin” stars Gina Rodriguez as Jane Villanueva a woman who has clung to her virginity at the behest of her grandmother Alba (Ivonne Coll) due to Jane’s mome Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) becoming pregnant with Jane at 16. 24 years old with a steady boyfriend, Michael (Brett Dier), Jane dares not to go any further until marriage.
During a routine checkup she is artificially inseminated with the sperm of hotel owner Rafael (Justin Baldoni), a man who unknowingly has crossed paths with Jane before.
Rafael and his wife Petra (Yael Grobglas) both want the child for different reasons and ask Jane to carry their child as a surrogate.
The series will follow Jane’s decision, her relationship with her boyfriend, Rafael and his marriage to Petra as well as the mystery of a man from Jane’s mother’s past, Rogelio (Jaime Camil)
The insemination plot was why I knew I was going to hate the show. I don’t see how you can mine comedy from someone who was impregnated without consent and being badgered by family to keep it. But the show outlines how the decision can be made and, unlike what I believed, the reasons aren’t religious based ones (as the trailer leads you to believe) but personal ones from the family’s experiences so the conceit of the show is more palatable when presented with the scenario as a whole.
Tidbits from the Panel
On hand for “Jane the Virgin” was show’s creator Jenny Snyder-Urman, producer Ben Silverman, actors Gina Rodriguez and Jaime Camill. For “Flash” on hand was Candice Patton and Jesse L. Martin and show’s showrunner Andrew Kreisenberg and producer Greg Berlanti. The star of the show Grant Gustin was to be in attendance but the morning of he posted a video to Facebook explaining that he was sick and couldn’t attend. I know it’s a drag traveling when you’re sick but Berlanti had to leave Robbie Rogers behind in bed.
That’s a greater sacrifice IMHO.
It’s been five years since Silverman, the former enfant terrible co-chair of Entertainment for NBC departed that job (or forced out from, as some suggests) , and almost as long since he held rank at his reality show hitmaker production studio Reveille, Silverman’s absence from running a network hasn’t quelled his grasp of business trends. When Abrams stated that “Jane the Virgin” was a odd fit for the CW with its superhero and action shows, Silverman reminded her that five or six years ago, “Jane..” would be a perfect fit for the CW; an acknowledgement of when the network catered to the female demographic with “Gossip Girl”, “America’s Next Top Model”, “90210” and “One Tree Hill”.
Silverman also pointed out that audiences are fans of shows, not networks which is certainly true thanks to viewers watching the shows on various platforms and not live on the specific network. There’s no brand loyalty for networks. People don’t watch NBC shows strictly because it’s NBC.
*Gina is a joy. Jesse L. Martin really enjoyed her. As Jane she’s an incredibly delightful lead but as an individual, even better. The moderator stated that Gina passed on Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” for “Jane the Virgin”.
Gina cleared that up, “To say I declined the role would mean that I had it… so…let’s not get it twisted. Let us clarify. I had a talent deal and (Lifetime’s) “Devious Maids” was one of the ones that was presented to me. And of course because that is one of the only Latino shows on air, that is definitely a question I get often. The truth is I have declined a lot of roles not because I have a whole bunch of money in the bank---because that’s definitely not the truth-but because I got into acting, like many have said, it’s not brain surgery, but I got into acting to make a difference. Growing up I didn’t see myself on screen very often and I didn’t see myself or see my body type or see my skin color in positive roles and I felt that very sincerely I felt that. And I thought to myself if this makes me feel limited then how can I liberate? And by taking roles that continue to limit me is not going to do the journey I set out to do.
I think the blessing I have for acting is that I thankfully get to do it every day and I get to play a role model. I get to play somebody who is strong, and intelligent, who wants to be a teacher and moving forward with her life and has dreams and she can be something that I lacked as a child and she can be that for so many others. And so it wasn’t just “Devious Maids” because I love those women and I wish them success, I wish failure on no one because lord knows I don’t want anyone to wish failure on us. But that wasn’t going to be my journey. My journey was patience and faith and then “Jane the Virgin” came long and it paid off. “
*Jenny Snyder Urman says the show won’t stay very close to the original. The biggest change in “Jane the Virgin” from “Juana la Virgin”? On the original series, Juana is 17-years old (though Snyder erroneously said she was 16-years old)
“I’m clearly a virgin, just so you know.”, joked Rodriguez.
*Candice Patton says she a Batman fan, not a Flash fan, but when she got the role she begin buying the Flash title so that she could understand why people loved the character. Although she uses the script more to inform her characterization. She echoed Gina’s sentiments about representation.
“I can only reiterate what Gina is saying. For me to be a Black woman playing this role..
Gina: I know….
Candice: Gawd almighty. Someone is out there looking out for me! I want to thank these guys and Geoff Johns and the CW for allowing me to be in this role and give hope and inspiration to other young girls who look like me and are marginalized. It’s a great place to be in.
*Kreisenberg said the idea of spinning off “The Flash” came in S1 of “Arrow” when they were breaking the 13th or 14th episode. He said Greg Berlanti suggested, “We should spin off the Flash”. I thought, “I can even barely do one of these.” Berlanti suggested they have Barry for two episodes and then one of then one would be the backdoor pilot. The decided to give it its own standalone pilot versus an episode.
He said the key was Grant Gustin and that Greg felt if they hadn’t found Grant who was so wonderful in the eps that they might not have spun it off at all.
*They said that they will draw from . Andrew: My favorite growing up was “Crisis on Infinite Earths” that I’m sure you all are not aware of because you had lives.
Greg: Speaking of virgins….
*Andrew Kreisenberg says Barry and Iris’ relationship harkens back to “When Harry Met Sally” with one character being in love with the other while the other is unaware. Or the relationship between Albert Brooks and Holly Hunter in “Broadcast News”. The friendship is what they find nice about them. That they’re the kind of friends who have late night phone calls and finish each other sentences.
*Jesse wasn’t too keen on playing a cop again but he met with them anyway and was interested in the surrogate father role his character has to Barry. He told a friend he was possibly up for the role and his friend said he’d kill him if he didn’t take it.
CBS Night
Scorpion
I lazed out of transcribing the panel but I will do so. My top choice of CBS’ night. Such a great show. The pilot is outstanding, directed by “The Fast and the Furious” (2 through 6) helmer Justin Lin, “Scorpion” is a tight thrill a minute action-drama with the heart of former ABC show “Probe” or “Numbers”.
“Scorpion” is inspired by the life of real-life genius Walter O’Brien (who was on hand at the Paley Center for Media and also serves as the show advisor.) who runs a company that employs super-geniuses.
In “Scorpion”, after being arrested as a young child for hacking into the White House servers by FBI Agent Cabe Gallo (Robert Patrick) Walter (Elyes (pronounced “Alias) Gabel) is recruited to work for the Feds. Now, years later as an adult Gallo comes to Walter for a favor: to stop a possible terrorist act. Untrusting of Gallo after being burned by him, Walter does so on the condition that he can use his team: math genius Sylvester (Ari Stidham), master mechanic and electrical whiz Happy (Jadyn Wong) and behaviourlist Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas). It’s on this mission that Walter meets waitress Paige (Katherine McPhee) and her son who provide the humanity component that his team lacks in order to solve their case.
O’Brien is a fascinating character. Instead of classifying themselves as geniuses, O’Brien uses the term mentally enabled, the opposite of disabled. It’s his idea that geniuses are wired differently like a different form of being mentally challenged. By his stats people who are mentally enabled are 20% likelier to commit suicide, 20% likelier be unemployed or be addicted to drugs or alcohol. They largely have problems interacting socially which is hard to contemplate considering how accessible and vibrant the real Walter O’Brien is, but he himself admits that he is lacking an emotional center which provides for TV’s O’Brien to be emotionally tone-deaf and abrupt.
The idea for the show came about when he told his story to a producer (the events that unfolds in the pilot is true to life). He went on to create his own company that employs mentally enabled people but what is happening is that he’s finding it hard to recruit. So as well as telling his story he is using the show as a recruitment tool in order to bring more mentally enabled people to the fold to show them that they are not alone. While he acknowledges this show will put him in the public eye and make him lose his anonymity he feels it’s important to recruit those who would fall into the category of statistic to work for his company or even better to make them feel less alone in the world.
How the woman reacted during “The Mysteries of Laura” is how I reacted to “Scorpion”. I was over the moon by the prospect of Walter and Paige as a couple for some reason. There are just some couples that you root for and I like the idea of Walter learning empathy from Paige as well as guiding her son.
Kat McPhee may be hooking up with Elyes
At least he’s not married unlike her last paramour
*That being her “Smash” director and husband of actress Mary McCormack.
Elyes is so lucky to share breathing room with Jorah my Amore Mormont
Keep speaking the truth Ygriette and Sansa!
Madam Secretary
Surprisingly I enjoyed this. I’ve never been a fan of Tea Leoni if I’m honest because people kept comparing her to Lucille Ball during the run of “The Naked Truth”. No one can be Lucille Ball. Leoni isn’t even Lucie Arnaz.
Leoni stars as Elizabeth Faulkner McCord, a former government official who is living a quiet life with her husband Henry (Tim Daly)
and their children when she is called into service of Secretary of State by her close friend who just happens to be the President of the United States (Keith Carradine).
Elizabeth has to navigate the inner workings of the White House especially when it comes to protocol that causes her to clash with Russell Jackson, the White House’s Chief of Staff (Željko Ivanek being as asshole-y as usual)
and other government staffers (Bebe Neuwirth, Patina Miller and Geoffrey Arnend. AKA Mr. Christina Hendricks)
Christina in THR with Vivienne Westwood in a story about designer and their muses
The only supporters she has is her assistant Blake (Erich Bergen) and George (William Sadler). The latter who warns her of a government cover up.
Very solid dramatic procedural with comedic undertones. It’s a perfect fit for “The Good Wife”. The entire cast is likeable although I hope they don’t focus too much on her ridiculous kids. TV Kids are the worst!
The cast with show’s executive producer Morgan Freeman
Stalker
I give Kevin Williamson leeway with “The Following” because while violent, like the more violent “Hannibal” the violence is stylized. It’s creative to slightly distract from the horror. “Stalker”, at least the pilot, is just horrific violence meted upon people. I found it too disturbing to find entertaining.
Maggie Q stars as Maggie Q as Lieutenant Beth Davis as the head of LAPD’s stalker unit who clashes with her new partner in Detective Jack Larsen (Dylan McDermott). The show follows the duo and the rest of their team (Victor Rasuk, Elisabeth Rohm and Mariana Klaveno) as they tackle the various stalking crimes around the city.
I don’t mind seeing Dylan McDermott on my TV.
You know why
But I think he’s miscast in this role. The show establishes early on that Larsen has a dark edge to him but he’s a wise-cracking character like Ryan Reynolds would play and I don’t see McDermott being that person. He gives off the vibe that he will be your best worst mistake. Yeah, he’ll ruin your credit, screw your friends, your mom even, but wow, was it fun while it lasted.
NCIS: New Orleans
Yes, laugh, LAUGH at this horrible photoshop
CBS aired the backdoor pilot from a NCIS episode instead of showing a standalone episode.
It was my first time watching NCIS. Not a fan of those jarring stings and wackiness of Michael Weatherly on NCIS. NCIS: New Orleans has the bonus of still handsome Scott Bakula at least and CCH Pounder who is great. It’s great to see Lucas Black working with his bonafide Southern accent (Alabama native. Roll tide) that sounds like crayfish, gumbo, hush puppies and pecan praline…I am so hungry right now.
If you like all of the CSIs and NCIS’ I suppose this is an easy sell.
The McCarthys
Another unfunny CBS comedy with an overbearing laugh track that will probably last a full season or two.
“The McCarthys” focuses on a tight-knit Boston family (hence New Kids on the Block’s Joe McIntyre being cast because he’s more Boston than baked beans and tea in a harbor).
The pilot centers on Ronny (Tyler Ritter, John’s other acting son)
Tyler with siblings Jason and Carly with mom Nancy
trying to decide on whether to leave Boston for a career opportunity. A decision that causes angst in his mother Marjorie (Laurie Metcalf). Ronny’s plans fall into disarray after his father Arthur (Jack McGee) has his own career upset that sends Ronny’s siblings brothers Gerald and Sean (Joey McIntyre, Jimmy Dunn) and his sister Jackie (Kelen Coleman) into panic mode.
The show mines (or tries to) over the fact that Ronny is openly gay and while his family accepts him they do so in the most cringeworth embarassing ways.
I would not have believed “2 Broke Girls” would last this long so I can’t even give odds on this one.
FOX Night
The Red Band Society
*My previously posted thoughts on the panel.
Now this I loved. FOX released the pilot after challenging fans to post about the show on social media and FOX would donate money to charity in exchange ($100,000).They also held screenings across the country where they raised donations and you get a t-shirt in exchange.
I attended the L.A screening with cast members Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Nolan Sotillo, Ciara Bravo(I thought she spelled her name Sierra and I marveled how cool her named sounded. It’s like CB radio talk) and series creator Margaret Nagle (writer S1 “Boardwalk Empire” and teleplays).
Hired by Steven Speilberg, Nagle was asked to develop a remake of the Spanish language series, ‘Polseres Vermelles’ about a group of kids in a hospital.
Polseres Vermelles” cast
Nagle had real life experience with this since her brother Charlie was comatose for years so she spent plenty of time around the children’s ward. Since then she has volunteered at children’s hospital in L.A.
Nagle made slight changes to the original by bringing in the adult characters and adding another girl.
“Red Band Society” deals with a group of friends in the children’s ward at a hospital. Leo is the defacto leader (Charlie Rowe) who has cancer. Brian “Astro” Bradley is Leo’s best friend and co-conspirator who has cystic fibrosis, and Leo’s girlfriend Emma (Ciara Bravo) who has an eating disorder. They get two new pals in Kara (Zoe Levin) a conceited cheerleader with a heart defect and Jordi (Nolan Sotillo) who has cancer and took it upon himself to come to the hospital for treatment by its top doctor Dr. Jack McAndrew (Dave Annabelle). The kids are entertained by an eccentric multi-millionaire hospital benefactor who lives in the hospital (Griffin Dunne) and watched over by Nurse Jackson (Octavia Spencer) and unbeknownst to them by Charlie (Griffin Gluck) a comatose boy who observes all the goings-on in the hospital.
It’s like “The Breakfast Club” and “My So-Called Life” (Nagle was in “My So-Called Life” and a fan which is why she cast Wilson Cruz as nurse in the series. She also says she’s courting cast members from “The Breakfast Club” to make appearances throughout the series.
Cliches abound and it’s pretty predictable but it’s cute and very sweet and sincere in its approach. It’s like early “Glee” but with a softer touch.
Tidbits from the Q&A:
*Nolan won the role by breaking out a guitar at the audition and singing (Annabelle says “nice move” and fistbumps him). Nagle said that she swooned. She called Spielberg and told him she was sending him the tape of his audition but she feels that they’ve found their Jordi. He told her she was pulled in by his singing so she told him to show it to his wife and daughter. Afterwards he called her and said that he was hired. They fell for Nolan too).
*Ciara says she takes the role really seriously and realizes that taking on a role as someone with anorexia required her to have more education about eating disorders.
*Spencer was asked what made her, an Oscar winner, take the series and she replied that winning the Oscar didn’t gain her great scripts. This was by far better than what she’s been receiving.
The cast stayed around afterwards for pictures. I was hoping to get a close-up one of Octavia but I knew the moderator kinda sorta so I went over to say hello to her and we began talking so by the time we finished, Octavia had gone. Anabelle stayed until the very last. I couldn’t even bring myself to say something to him he is so attractive. Attractive and sweet. He was asking everyone about themselves and cracking jokes. The display fell over at one point and he shouted out, “Don’t worry, I’m a doctor!”
Nolan
Tidbits from the Paley Q and A:
*Since the cast shoots in Georgia the only actors who they could spare were Wilson Cruz and Rebecca Rittenghouse who play Kenzie Gomez-Rejon (named after pilot’s director and “American Horror Story”s director/EP Alfonso Gomez-Rejon) and Brittany Dobler, respectively. Both have little to do in the pilot but during the panel it’s revealed that they’re characters will have more to do. Unlike Griffin Dunne’s character who the show has no real plans to utilize often.
*Wilson was the crackup of the panel with the moderator declaring that he was on fire. Wilson: “Next I’m gonna be in the writers’ room. We’ll talk about contracts later.” After discussing the musical talents of the cast (Cruz,Octavia Spencer, Nolan Sotillo, Charlie Rowe are singers) Wilson suggested the show be called the “Rent Band Society”. Rebecca mentioned Charlie’s time as a boybander and recommend the producer watch the Youtube videos, “There was thrusting and hips shaking!” Talking about the possible love triangle between Dave Annable’s Dr. Jack McAndrew and Nurse Brittany and McAndrew’s ex-wife to be played by Mandy Moore, Cruz wanted in on the action. “I’m throwing my hat in the ring. Dave Annable. What a man. And he’s married to a Latina (actress Odette Yustman)?! I’m halfway there.”
*Discussing how the writers make sure the show has levity, Cruz talked about shadowing two of his friends who are nurses. He says that they are two of the most fun people because they know how to keep their work at the hospital. He reasons that they see life and death every day and it can be so stressful and hard that to be able to get through the next day or even the week, for their survival hospital workers have to distance themselves from the job once the shift is over. He likened it to watching someone complete a Broadway show and he wipes off the makeup and takes off the costume once outside the stage doors (pretends as if he’s asking someone, casually), “Martini?”
*The show’s Executive Producer Rina Mimoun says that it’s a very real possibility that one of the kids will die in the first season.
*Cruz said that he wasn’t prepared for the success that came from “My So-Called Life” so he’s ready to see how success will come for his costars who are younger than he was when he did MSCL. Though he says many of them have been working longer than he was at that time.
Gotham
I actually went in on this with low expectations because I just expected it to not live up to the hype. IMO it didn’t but it’s not to say it isn’t an intriguing show.
New member to the Gotham City PD James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is trying to be a beacon of light within its corrupt forces. Paired with Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), a man who turns a blind eye to the goings on within the force and outside such as the criminal activities of gangland boss Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and her lackey Oswald Cobblepot, the future Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor).
The murder of the city’s royalty Thomas and Martha Wayne spurs Gordon into further action as he vows to their young son Bruce (David (pronounced Dah-veed) Mazouz) that he will find their killer.
The relationship between Gordon and young Bruce in the pilot is a very special one to me and McKenzie and Mazouz serves it well. I was completely sold on them. And while I have this discussion with my friends seemingly every few weeks, I don’t think very many actors captured Bruce Wayne well well but in Mazouz, I can see the budding of that formidable man. A man whose being was crafted by tragedy, yes, but also by the sure-handed guidance of Alfred (Sean Pertwee).
What is compelling to me is that Bruce is given a lifeline…a hope of justice from this man of principle at the moment he most needs it and we, the viewers, know that it will be paid back to Gordon hundred-fold in the future as Batman helps future!verse Gordon a man world weary and beaten down keep his head above water while floating in the cesspool that is “Gotham” .
But the series is called “Gotham” and I think fans are more interested in the origins of Penguin, The Riddler and Catwoman and I think that’s the weakest part of the show because Gordon and Wayne are rooted in realism and the others are cartoonish or just anvilicious (we’re introduced to Edward Nygma/Riddler (Cory Michael Smith) as a riddle telling morgue employee).
What is interesting is the city of “Gotham” itself. It’s like a place out of time with retro checkered cabs, characters who talk and dress like characters out of “Dick Tracy”and Bullock’s flip phone. It’s also a place in the midst of change with the old school mob ways of Falcone and Maroni clashing against Mooney’s less elegant ways.
I will give it a go and see if I warm up more to the whole of the show.
Gotham cast hanging out
The Riddler and Penguin plotting over dranks
Jada recently celebrated her 43rd birthday.
Her husband Will Smith took to Facebook.
Gracepoint
Based on the UK series “Broadchurch” in which David Tennant also starred, “Gracepoint” is a less surreal but equally moody, “Twin Peaks”.
Tennant stars as Detective Emmett Carver, new to the Gracepoint Police force on the heels of the murder of a child that devastates the sleepy town. Paired with Detective Ellie Miller (Anna Gunn) who has a personal connect to the murdered kid and his family the Solanos (Michael Pena, Virginia Krull and Madalyn Horcher), the pair embarks on the finding the killer.
The only thing I find interesting about the show is that I think it’ll be neat to see what changes they make from “Broadchurch”. I think it’ll be like the various endings of “Clue”: most things will remain the change but the killer and motivation of characters will likely differ. Found it a bit of a slog, really.
The show also stars Kevin Zegers as Ellie’s journalist nephew who leaks the story to out of town journo Renee Clemons (Jessica Lucas) and Nick Nolte, Kevin Rankin, Josh Hamilton, Jessica Lucas, Jacki Weaver and this former “The Vampire Diaries” babe, Kendrick Sampson
With TV girlfriend Madelyn Horcher
Mulaney
It began early because it was the same day of the FOX Fall party so I missed the pilot but made it in time for the Q&A.
*They showed two scenes from the second season of “Sleepy Hollow” with an introduction by new series regular John Noble.
NBC Night
The Mysteries of Laura
Terrible title. It’s as if it was a placeholder that never got revisited. But the title, IMO, is the worst thing about the show. The critics have ravaged it the way they smashed “Smash” but I think it’s just because they’re not accustomed to a comedy masquerading as a hour long police procedural. It’s very reminiscent of the Melissa McCarthy/Sandra Bullock film “The Heat” with Messing as the McCarthy character and Laz Alonso and Janina Gavankar as her partner and competitive officer, respectively in the Sandra Bullock role. Because they are finite, films have more allowances to be a hybrid, whereas people want a definitive tone for their series. I think the main issue critics are having with “The Mysteries of Laura” besides its 1970s NBC Tuesday Night Mysteries title is that it seems uneven, but it is purposely so.
“The Mysteries of Laura” stars Messing as Detective Laura Diamond, a unconventional long arm of the law with a great arrest record and a great partner in Billy Soto (the hottie hot hot hot Laz Alonso). Her home life isn’t as stable as her career as she struggles to raise her twin pre-school aged hellions with her less than helpful estranged husband Lt. Jake Broderick (the whisky voiced Josh Lucas).
The comedy is sometimes as blunt as Laura’s techniques in nabbing her criminal, but it’s a nice return to females doing broad comedy.
It may not be everyone’s cuppa but there was a woman at the screening who was positively giddy during the last few scenes. GIDDY! I had to turn around to see what was going on. She was clutching her hands to her chest and beaming. No clue in what she was reacting to, but maybe it’s because the show is a rarity that shows the struggle in achieving “having it all”.
Marry Me
The desperation wafts off of it. Created by “Happy Endings” creator David Caspe and starring his wife and “Happy Endings”/”SNL” star Casey Wilson alongside Ken Marino (“Party Down”, “Veronica Mars”, “Marry Me” is a series loosely based on Caspe and Wilson’s relationship,.
The show focuses on the rocky road to marriagedom for couple Annie (Wilson) and Jake (Marino) as their family (Annie’s two dads Kevin One (Tim Meadows) and Kevin Two (Dan Buckatinsky) and Jake’s mother Myrna (JoBeth Williams) and friends (Jakes’s best friend Gil -John Gemberling) and Annie’s BFF Dennah (Sarah Wright Olsen)
Caspe who did the Q&A with Wilson, Marino and Meadows and show’s Executive Producer Seth Gordon,
kept saying how Annie is based on Casey and Casey is a handful. By the fifth time he said this Casey said, “You’re the one coming off bad. I look great.” And that’s the relationship between Annie and Jake: she’s over the top and he’s long suffering and it just feels like a too long Groundlings skit.
Caspe says the show opens up and it will become more of an ensemble show. I hope so because it’s tiring watching these characters bicker. And even worse is that it’s not remotely funny.
Constantine
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
TV version of the character made popular in DC’s imprint Vertigo’s “Hellblazer”. John Constantine is a demonologist and dark magician who has voluntarily institutionalized himself to get away from the demon business. Dark forces appear making him realize he needs to return to the demon hunting business.
Just meh. It’s a bit weak, as is Matt Ryan who plays Constantine. Jeremy Davies is in the pilot and that increased the quality. I think it will be good, it has the potential to be REALLY good, but I’m unsure what is holding it back. I think it will depend on the characters you surround Constantine with. Right now we have Manny (Harold Perrinneau) and angel who tries to make sure Constantine doesn’t overstep and Chas (Charles Halsford) Constantine’s oldest friend and fellow demonologist.
After the pilot leak it was announced that NBC was replacing the pilot lead, Lucy Griffiths with a new character; so they reshot the pilot’s ending because the crux of the pilot was that her character was super important and Constantine had to protect her at all cost.
Her character is being replaced by one from the DCU: Zed played by Angélica Celaya.
Upon the third viewing, my thoughts on the show still have not changed. One showrunner explained that shows need until the third episode to get going and I try to keep that in mind. I think they’re so busy rushing to get to series and providing a good follow up that TPTB don’t really get their grove until a few episodes in. I hope that’s the case with this show. But reading up about the character on Wikipedia? Damn, Hellblazer dealt with some dark stuff and I don’t’ think NBC, even being a network that airs “Hannibal” will touch it.
A to Z
*My previously posted thoughts on the pilot.
Created by Ben Queen who created the short-lived FOX series “Drive” as well as the writer/producer of “Cars 2”; and executive produced by Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation”) and Eric McCormack (“Will & Grace”), “A to Z” is another version of “How I Met Your Mother”…and not because series’ star Cristin Milioti was the titular ‘mother’ of HIMYM.
Zelda (Milioti) is a lawyer who is wary of relationships, Andrew who works at an internet dating site is a hopeless romantic The two fall for each other and as series’ narrator Katey Sagal explains in the introduction, Andrew and Zelda will date for eight months, three weeks, five days and one hour. This is the comprehensive account of their relationship.
It was a struggle to get through this one. I had to pull all my inner strength to the fore and barrel through. The leads have no appeal, it’s not funny. It’s perfect that it was produced by Jones and McCormack because I feel the same way about them.
I was more entertained by the comparing Milioti’s smile to the characters in Dreamworks films.
I still hated the pilot on the second viewing.
*” Bad Judge” starring Kate Walsh was due to screen but NBC pulled it at the last minute.