Pilot Watch: Sanctuary

If you enjoyed the visual effects of movies like 300 and Sin City, you will probably enjoy the upcoming series, Sanctuary. A 13-episode order, with 95% of it consisting of a CGI environment, has been made by the Sci-Fi Channel to bring what is originally a web series to cable (USA).

"Sanctuary" hails from the "Stargate SG-1" trio of star Amanda Tapping, writer-producer Damian Kindler and producer-director Martin Wood, who are executive producing the series with Sam Egan.

Tapping stars as the enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus who is on a quest with her young protege, Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), to track down, aid and protect strange creatures that walk the earth. | Source

Lost Season Review

The 35ish week wait is over. We're getting some answers from Lost in its Season 4 premiere Jan 31st (USA). But if you'd like to play catch up, here's a little peek at what has happened in the last three seasons. Literally done in a nutshell, these video clips summarize everything there is to know about the story line.

But everything there is to know about Lost? It will take regular people like us to fathom everything, unlike those Lost geeks who seem to notice bits of the series, frame by frame --- and I bow to them!

I've missed this guy, too!

...and he will be back tonight. Whoohoo! Here's the preview:



And there's a spoiler going around, Cutthroat Bitch will be back coz she's dating Wilson. Bwaha.

Wheee!

Doggone it, I miss this guy!

And he's shaved off his strike beard...(see, told you the strike's gonna be over soon. I'm hearing it's gonna happen this week!)

Pilot Watch: Wizard's First Rule

Sam Raimi, Director of the Spiderman Trilogy, is teaming up with ABC Television, to bring an ambitious series for the fantasy genre.

Wizard's First Rule, targeted for a fall release, is an adaptation of the book The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. The story is about a simple woodsman and a Wizard, and their quest to rid the world of a tyrant.

Raimi and ABC TV partnered to bring back the genre to which Hercules and Xena became well-known. It will be a 22 episode-epic and production will begin in May.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Pilot Watch: Flashpoint

So here's another new show in the works --- Flashpoint, a police drama series originating from Canada, which will star Veronica Mars' daddy Enrico Colantoni. CBS is hiring Canadian crew and writers to work on the series, in partnership with Canada's CTV. A thirteen episode order is most likely and the show is scheduled to premiere in the Summer.

Says Variety:

Even before the strike, CBS went into the season determined to expand the development process beyond U.S. borders. It's understood the Eye has about a dozen other scripts and formats in the works from outside the country, including projects from Blighty, Oz and Israel.

CBS sees "Flashpoint" as a possible alternative business model, one that could be more financially -- and creatively -- attractive than the usual pilot process.

Pilot Watch: Crash

Remember Crash, Oscar's Best Picture in 2005? They are turning this into a TV Series and will run on cable channel Starz. This will be the first original program for the said cable network.

Crash, the TV series, will have the same people working behind the scenes as the film, like Don Cheadle and Paul Haggis. Casting has yet to be announced.

The Oscar-winning film starred: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Thandie Newton and Ryan Philippe.

Read more from Variety.

Winners, Screen Actors Guild TV Categories

I've yet to watch the actual ceremony but here are the winners from today's Screen Actors Guild Awards:

Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
WINNER: James Gandolfini, The Sopranos
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal

Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Glenn Close, Damages
WINNER: Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
WINNER: Alec Baldwin,30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Ricky Gervais, Extras
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Tony Shaloub, Monk

Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
WINNER: Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Boston Legal
The Closer
Grey's Anatomy
Mad Men
WINNER: The Sopranos

Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 Rock
Desperate Housewives
Entourage
WINNER: The Office
Ugly Betty

Strike Watch: Where Are Your Shows At

This is an updated list from Ausiello, as of Jan 25. This isn't a complete list, though most of the ones people are interested in are already here:

• 30 Rock: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Aliens in America: Seventeen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Back to You: Nine episodes have been produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• The Big Bang Theory: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Bionic Woman: Eight episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Bones: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Boston Legal: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Brothers & Sisters: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Carpoolers: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Cavemen: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Chuck: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Criminal Minds: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: Miami: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• CSI: NY: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there is one left.
• Desperate Housewives: Ten episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Dirty Sexy Money: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• ER: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Friday Night Lights: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Gossip Girl: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Greek: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight left.
• Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Heroes: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• House: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• How I Met Your Mother: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Jericho: Seven episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are seven episodes left.
• Las Vegas: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen have aired, so there are five left.
• Law & Order: SVU: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Fourteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Life is Wild: Twelve episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are two left.
• Lost: Eight episodes have been produced. None have aired yet, so there are eight episodes left.
• Medium: Nine episodes have been produced. Two episodes have aired, so there are seven left.
• Men in Trees: Nineteen episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are 11 left.
• Moonlight: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• My Name is Earl: Thirteen episodes have been produced (that includes two one-hour eps, which count double). Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• NCIS: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine: Eight episodes have been produced. No episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
• Nip/Tuck: Fourteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Numbers: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve have aired, so there are zero left.
• October Road: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes have been produced. Twelve half-hour episodes have aired, so there are zero half-hour episodes left.
• One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes have been produced. Four episodes have aired, so there are eight left.
• Prison Break: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Private Practice: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Pushing Daisies: Nine episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Reaper: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Ten episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Samantha Who?: Twelve episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are three left.
• Scrubs: Eleven episodes have been produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are five left.
• Shark: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there is one left.
• The Shield: All 13 season-seven episodes have been produced. None have aired (the final season gets underway in '08), so there are 13 left.
• Smallville: Fifteen episodes have been produced. Nine episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Supernatural: Twelve episodes have been produced. Eight episodes have aired, so there are four left.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Nine episodes have been produced. Three episodes have aired, so there are six left.
• Ugly Betty: Thirteen episodes have been produced. Thirteen episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• The Unit: Eleven episodes have been produced. Eleven episodes have aired, so there are zero left.
• Without a Trace: Twelve episodes have been produced. Twelve episodes have aired, so there are zero left.

Slim pickins' yah?

Don't forget, there are a bunch of new series premiering, too. So, that should at least take care of your TV diet for the next two months.

But the strike is almost over. According to Deadline Hollywood, with last week's meeting, the situation is an optimistic one. Won't be long now....won't be long.

This girl Becki Newton...

... I so love her on Ugly Betty. She gets away with being a cute bitch. They should have a separate award category for her on any award-giving body for TV. Her and Connie Brighton.





TV Guide: Has your life changed a lot being on such a hit show?
Newton: Because I am so different from Amanda, people don't necessarily notice me in real life. A few have come up to me and said, "You look like that girl on Ugly Betty." And I'm like, "I really should watch that show and check her out."

My husband was on TV!

In a way, it's got something to do with TV, too. So .... read and watch here.

And now, the end is near...

...but it would have to be the end you'd like to see happening. It looks like the Writers Strike is almost over! Whoohoo!

Marvel Studios and WGA Sign Interim Agreement
The WGA recently entered into interim agreements with The Weinstein Company, United Artists, Lionsgate, Worldwide Pants, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, Mandate Films, and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment.

Lionsgate Signs Interim Deal with WGA
Upcoming television series include "Weeds" (Showtime, fourth season), "Mad Men" (AMC, second season), and "Fear Itself" (NBC, debut season).

From Ron Moore (Battestar Galactica)
At this moment, informal talks are underway between representatives of the AMPTP and the leadership of the WGA. A news blackout is in effect and there will be precious little, if any, word leaking out from the talks...

I'm so happy, my eyes are welling up.

*sniff*

Excellent!

Birthday girl, Honney Marie, has rated my blog excellent. And I'm giving the same recognition to:

Gita and her excellent foodie blog.
Emmy and her excellent inspirational blog.
Raein and her excellently documented college life, makes me long for what was mine once.

Movie Tripping

I've so far been on a movie trip this week. Thanks to the lack of TV shows to watch, I'm able to catch up on some films I've been meaning to see. And so far? Having a blast ! In a matter of three days, I've since watched the following below. Normally, I'd spread it over months watching this many...so, this is kind of new to me again.

Gaad, I didn't realize how much I miss the movies!



I think I'd like to check out Michael Clayton, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood, Across the Universe and The Great Debaters next. Got any more movie to recommend I should watch?

Incidentally, the Oscar nominees are out. Who's your pick?

In Memoriam: Heath Ledger

Unknown to many, Heath Ledger once had a TV series on the Fox Network. It was a period piece, set in 400 AD and his role was that of a Celtic Prince. The series, entitled Roar, aired in '97...almost a decade ago.



Rest in peace, Heath.

British Series: The Palace

I've been reading up on the Royal Family recently; trying to familiarize myself with their protocols, titles, rankings, who's senior over whom and such. (Watching the movie, Elizabeth: The Golden Age peaked my curiosity, that's why!) So, when I found a way to watch this series, I was glad to find another medium I can enjoy, whilst learning about their system. Admittedly, I'm not attuned to British culture as I am with the more accessible American lifestyle.

But this not to say the series, The Palace, is as close to reality. It's still fiction, with a reference to real life here and there.

The show follows the drama and politics inside the King's courts. The King is a reluctant young man, Richard, who ascends to the throne in the very first episode, when his father suffers a heart attack. Richard is only 24 years old and isn't ready for such a responsibility. His elder sister, Princess Eleanor, is portrayed as the more ambitious one. And it's clear to see where this family/political drama is heading.

The Palace is modelled as British TV's The West Wing. I can't make a comparison between these two, as I've only watched few episodes of the latter. The premise is intriguing and maybe in terms of pacing, it is acceptable and even enough. I'm still grasping its essence, but I've quite enjoyed the first two offerings. I'm looking forward to watching how the drama develops.

What bothers me about this series, though, is only very minor but very important to someone watching it --- the "Royal family" don't exactly look alike, not even remotely resembling each other:

• Eleanor has strong Italian features.
• Richard has boy-band good looks.
• Younger brother George looks older than him and is most likely Mr. Bean's cousin.
• Youngest sister Isabella has ethnic features, she's not all blue and blond as I would have imagined.
  
• And mum Queen is so small, you'd wonder how on earth she gave birth to all four.

In the same breath, they don't also gel together as cast members. So, it's taking longer to convince myself I'm watching a "family" drama.

Learn more about this series here.

Bye for now, Chuck

In the final episode of Chuck, now on a strike-forced hiatus, his status as the Intersect is at a risk when another agent learns of his identity. The CIA and the NSA soon decide it is time for Chuck to vanish. But Chuck realizes he isn't ready to leave his family. Especially not with his lovely sister and Capt. Awesome getting engaged.

The abrupt haitus also leaves me feeling the same as Chuck. I'm not ready to see this show disappear from its timeslot. But it's not up to me. :(

On the brighter side, informal strike talks resumes today. And there are indications that this should be the beginning of the end (of the strike). So, here's hoping we get to watch Chuck and the rest of our favorites in a month's time.

USA audience should tune to the final episodes of Chuck on Thursday, Jan 24 at NBC.

Breaking Bad S1 E1 Pilot

The role of Walter White, in AMC's new series Breaking Bad is a big leap from the Bryan Cranston I used to watch on Malcom in the Middle. In this new series, Cranston plays a chemistry teacher who is experiencing the crappiest time of his life. He's 50 and he still hasn't quite made it. With his wife newly pregnant, a teenage disabled son to take care of, and a terminal cancer to endure, he hopes to change things for his family (at least before he dies).

Through his policeman-brother in law, he saw an opportunity. While watching a video of a drug bust, he learns that there is a big amount of money involved in this illegal activity. With his knowledge and deep understanding of chemicals, Walter White decides to partner with one of his former students, a meth dealer and together they cook the purest crystal meth in town. Predictably, things do not go too well and it gets bloody and violent.

The series attempts to show how people make terrible judgments in the moment of desperation. A midlife crisis at its worst, people do make bad choices when they're at the pits. It's something we see in the news everyday.

But the strongest element to this series so far, is not in the story, but in Bryan Cranston, who did a terrific job "breaking bad". He was repressed yet funny, emphatic but not exaggerated.

Hopefully, the series extends to more than the seven episodes it already has produced, for the sake of this guy. He deserves the big acting break, since I now can honestly say, he's so good at it.

Pilot Watch: Kath and Kim

From The Hollywood Reporter... a new comedy series, entitled "Kath and Kim" based from Australia's hit series of the same name, is in the works at NBC.

Playing the role of Kim is Selma Blair and Kath will be played by Molly Shannon. The story deals with a mother and daughter relationship (uh, Gilmore Girls?) and in the original series, Kath is a happy divorcee, while Kim is a spoiled brat.

Linky Love

Amor has tagged me for some Linky love. Yay!

I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)

It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially! The benefits of Viral Linking:

- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
- Increase your Google PageRank fast
- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
- Build your community
- Make new friends!

The Strategist Notebook | Link Addiction | Ardour of the Heart | When Life Becomes a Book | The Malaysian Life | Yogatta.com | What goes under the sun | Roshidan’s Cyber Station | Sasha says | Arts of Physics | And the legend lives | My View, My Life | Chubby | A Simple Life | Petra | | SexyMom | Happy Life | Bless’ Sanctuary | Confessions of an Army Wife | Living @ Evergreen State | Memories Frozen in Time | Summer in Blue | Amor| Mindy

Spreading the love over to:
Emmy
Honney
Agnes
Jhaney
Chick

The Amazing Race 12 The Final Push

Congratulations, TK and Rachel! The nice ones do finish first.

It was a finale without the pointing fingers, the whining, the bickering and the shouting...much like the winners of this season. Although TK nearly (like .001% nearly) lost his temper, understandably, the situation was tense.

The older guys rocked that glacier ice climb thingie, who would've guessed? When Phil said Don was the oldest racer to ever reach final three (69 years old, is it?) I was hoping he'd also say Don's won a special prize. He deserves a special prize!


And this was bugging me the minute I saw Chris retrieve the clue --- how did they get one tiny clue cylinder into the cod's insides?

How hard was that roadblock? I didn't even try understanding what Phil said about it. That hurt my head.

Amazing season. Just Amazing.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Look what your favorite TV stars are up to!

Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) plays TV star, Sarah Marshall, who dumps her boyfriend, Peter (Jason Segel - How I Met Your Mother) and he's having a hard time getting over her. Upon the advise of a friend, Peter vacations in Hawaii, only to find his ex is also there. And she brought her new guy with her.

The movie is, by the way, written by Jason Segel and produced by Judd Apatow (Superbad, Knocked Up). It also stars Mila Kunis (That 70's Show).



The movie will be out in April (USA).

T-Bag on New York Magazine

One thing I've missed now that I'm not watching Prison Break? Robert Knepper. Here he is seen kissing Wentworth Miller. LOL!

As T-Bag, Knepper turned his character into the Hannibal Lecter of TV. I think that, removing all those women falling for Wenty aside, he would have to have the biggest fanbase on Prison Break.

Here are some excerpts of his interview with NYMag:

Do people ever get freaked out when they see you out and about?
One time I was at a hotel in Dallas waiting for the elevator, and the doors opened and there was this idyllic, blonde, blue-eyed couple — they looked like they were from, like, Denver. "Rocky Mountain High" should have been playing behind them. She's kind of cooing in his ear, and she turns as the doors open and sees me and literally swallows a scream. And then she immediately turned beet red because she realized that I was the actor, not the character, obviously. That's a great feeling — to affect people that deeply. At least they feel something. I just don't like it when my little boy is bleeding and somebody comes up to me and says, "Do you mind if I get a picture?"

Does it get weird sometimes — playing a total psycho and then going home and being a loving dad?
Well, I have that reentry period of driving home. You get home and it's, "Papa, let's play!" It’s the great equalizer. He is my life. I draw on that passion, that love, in a way, to play one of the most demented characters ever. I know it sounds like a dichotomy, but you'll see: When you have a child, your work will get even better. You're so focused. You really start to feel like, I would do anything, anything to protect my family. Including kill.

When is he going to be old enough to watch the show?
Oh, I don't know. 35? No, maybe 12. I'm sure he's going to be exposed to a lot worse by the time he's 10. He's going to look at it and say, "Oh please, Papa was playing a racist pedophile. That's nothing!"

Grey's Anatomy on your mobile phones

From Hollywood Reporter:

SAN DIEGO -- The ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" is getting its own game as publisher Gameloft announced is it bringing out "Grey's Anatomy: The Mobile Game." The title will be available as a download on most U.S. wireless service carrier and is aimed primarily at casual gamers, enabling users to play as various characters from the show's first three seasons.

I don't get how one will be able to play with the characters. Would this be like a Sim environment?

Poster: Sex And The City Movie

For all those anticipating the movie in May:

British Series: Fairy Tale

The idea of Fairy Tale is, at the very least, original. Yep, you read that right.

It's a series that attempts to adapt classic stories to fit this era. Take for instance, it's second offering, Cinderella, which is my favorite fairy tale story.

In this BBC adaptation, Cinderella is a struggling young woman working as a cleaning lady in a university. But she is also into anthropology and deeply academic. The "prince" in this series is a savvy anthropology professor and the "wicked step-sisters" are played by two college students who are competing to become the professor's research assistant.

The magic and meaning of the fairy tale got lost in this adaptation. It felt too contemporary and the comedy is a hit and miss. But I give it kudos for boldly and bravely adaptating a very well-loved and familiar story.

Other adaptations include: Rapunzel, The Emperor's New Clothes and Billy Goats Gruff. I read that these other stories fare better than the Cinderella adaptation. So, we'll see...

Conan O' Brien is my God!

The fact that I worship Conan O' Brien is no secret on this blog. If I have to, I'd be a willing participant to a cult religion dedicated to him. Still without writers this week, he continues to make his late night talk show interesting, by trying different things:





He's also written a strike diary on EW.

DAY 1
I am alive, but there is no writing for television and motion pictures. I stumble about my apartment — a stranger in a strange land. Gathering my wits, I take stock of my meager supplies: four original episodes of House, a handful of fresh 30 Rocks, and two Heroes, which I fear have gone bad. I cannot survive long — panic sets in.

DAY 2
Using three coat hangers and an old T-shirt, I construct a crude device to collect potable water. I then realize that fresh drinking water will not be an issue during a Writers' Strike. I go to the refrigerator and fetch a Pomegranate Lychee Green Tea. It is my first triumph over the elements and I rejoice.

The rest of that very amusing diary entry is here.

Strike Watch: DGA Deal Almost Done, WGA Back To The Table

The Directors Guild of America has almost reached an agreement with the AMTP. Could this mean the Writers Guild are next and we'll finally see the end of this 3-month strike in a couple of week's time?

The Directors Guild of America said in a statement that its negotiators had reached preliminary agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on a new three-year contract, to take effect when the directors’ existing deal expires on June 30. The union, which represents about 13,500 directors and associated production workers, said its bargainers would submit the deal to its board with a recommendation for approval on Jan. 26. If approved, a member vote would follow.

The agreement achieves a breakthrough for union members in several digital areas. It roughly doubles the residuals rate that was paid for decades when films and television programs were resold on cassettes or DVDs. And it requires Hollywood studios and production companies — for the first time — to pay a residual when advertising-supported programs are streamed for free over the Internet, as many television networks do now on their Web sites. The residual kicks in after a 17-day time period, and is pegged at about $600 per episode of a one-hour network prime-time drama, for 26 weeks. That is a rate considerably higher than was last offered to writers when their negotiations with the producers fell apart in December.
--- Via New York Times

Ooh, this is good news for those waiting for their favorite shows to come back on air, this news just in: AMPTP Invites WGA back to the table.

Today, we invite the Writers Guild of America to engage with us in a series of informal discussions similar to the productive process that led us to a deal with the DGA to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for returning to formal bargaining. We look forward to these discussions, and to the day when our entire industry gets back to work.

Renaldo Lapuz: A Pinoy on American Idol 2008

Joke or not, last night, American Idol discovered a star. Renaldo Lapuz, a Filipino in America, auditioned for the show and made an impact.



At the time I linked his video from Youtube, it has already earned 56 comments, 99% of it positive. And I don't know if people are making a mockery out of it. But look, hours after his audition was aired, kids are already singing his original song:



And who does Renaldo remind me of?

Maverick Relova
of that wacky comedy duo on the local channel ABC-5.

Maverick, Renaldo stole your style, man. That could've been you!

Update: Someone has made ringtones of Renaldo's original song for your mobiles and you can download on his website:

Mono MP3 format | Stereo MP3 format | WMA format

Pilot Watch: JJ Abrams new TV series Fringe

Variety reports that Kirk Acevedo (Band of Brothers, Oz) and Tomas Arana (Gladiator) have signed on to be in the new JJ Abrams (Lost) series, FRINGE.


The series will begin shooting for the pilot episode in February. The script to the pilot has been done long before the strike took place. It is intended to air in the 2008-2009 season on Fox. Fringe centers around an FBI agent and a deranged scientist collaborating to investigate the paranormal.

Show description from FutonCritic:
drama about a young female fbi agent who, forced to confront the spread of powerful and unexplained phenomena, must work with an institutionalized scientist whose life's work may be at the center of the coming storm.

FOX has given a hefty two-hour pilot commitment to the project with a $10 million budget and a potential series license fee of up to $2 million per episode.

It's understood the series will feature three leads - the FBI agent; the scientist, Walter Bishop, described as a mix of Einstein and Dr. Frankenstein; and his grownup son, with whom he has a dysfunctional relationship.

Let's see. That sounds like...they turned Mulder into a woman, Scully into a man, actually a deranged man, added a third lead, with more elements of drama and mystery?

No word on the female agent yet.

Jennifer Garner? Yes? I'm just saying. I just suddenly miss her on TV. Which reminds me...I've got to go and finish Alias!!

Strike Watch: Is this season done?

In the words of Bryan Fuller, creator of Pushing Daisies:

“I don't think the TV season as we know it is over just yet,” he tells me. “If the strike is resolved in the next three weeks, there is a slim chance that shows could come back and produce four or five additional episodes to wrap up their seasons. Any less than that, and networks will scuttle. But that's if the strike is resolved quickly. If it isn't resolved by mid-February, then, yes, that's pretty much it for the 2007-08 season.” --- Watch with Kristin!

There's a three-week window. Three week to hope that this is not the end of the season and our favorite shows will come back, albeit with a shorter list of episodes.

As Lenny Kravitz sings it --- Well, honey, it ain't over till it's over!

Now, I gotta go and listen to that song on the iPod now...

Strike Watch: When is 24 Season 7 Airing?

So, is Jack Bauer finally going to get a break from terrorists for at least one year? Ausiello reports this on his blog:

Well, although Fox hasn't confirmed it, I'll go out on a limb and say Jack Bauer isn't returning this season. Even if the strike ends tomorrow, the earliest the show could get back on the air is this summer — and there's no way in hell Fox is dumping 24 onto the summer season. That leaves the network with several options, none of them ideal.

One solution is to just kick off Season 7 next January (2009), but by then Jack will have been in hiding for nearly two years.

Another, and much more controversial, scenario being bandied about involves taking the eight episodes currently in the can and creating a 10- to 14-episode mini-season to air in the fall. That would be followed by another 10- to 14-episode mini-season — featuring a completely different plot — during the second half of the season. Opponents of that idea have argued, and rightly so, that by splitting the season, you're essentially compromising the show's unique, 24-hour conceit. Proponents, however, argue that these are desperate times. And sometimes desperate times require throwing out the rulebook. I can see that point as well.

Jack Bauer, terror-free in 2008.

Idol Fever on....Are you burning up?

Tonight's the start of American Idol, now running on its 7th season. What's there to expect? Well, this year, contestants will be allowed to do what Canadian Idol has been doing since 3 years ago, and what Australian Idol has done for two years ---- have them play musical instruments. Ta-daaah! :P

Each year, the judges keep saying it's going to be the best season so far. Is anyone else buying that? And have you read about what Chris Daughtry has to say?

Daughtry blames the show’s woes partially on its emphasis on untalented singers. “People get tired of seeing people that suck,” he says. “It’s funny at first, but come on. They spend three weeks on people that can’t sing, and that’s what they’re banking it on. [They should] find some people that you can really invest in.”
- American Idol is in a State of Decline.

Of the six Idol winners --- Ruben Studdard (Season 2), Taylor Hicks (Season 5) and Katherine McPhee (edit: Season 5 - runner up) have been dropped by their label recently. [Kelly Clarkson (1), Fantasia Barino (3) and Carrie Underwood (4) are the other three] Are their cases good indication of what the show has become? Nothing more than just a popularity contest? I see you virtually nodding your head in agreement...

American Idol airs 6 PM and 8 PM on QTV-11 and Star World, Wednesday & Thursday.

Terminator ratings a powerhouse

Fox newest scripted TV series offering, a show that took over what was an anticipated new season of 24, debuted with two episodes Sunday and Monday. It gave this season some sort of brand new spirit, what with the nearly 3month-old writers strike. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, earned 18M in viewership on its first night.

It's a series that needs no introduction. The show is based on the movie franchise that made Arnold Swarchenegger a Hollywood celebrity. If we have to be technical about it, the series takes place between Terminator 2 and 3.

Critical reactions to this series have so far been swinging both ways. Is the show is going to sustain viewership week after week? Or if it will tank the way that Bionic Woman remake did? With the state of television today, only time will tell.

Brothers and Sisters S2 E10 Feast of Epiphany

Mommy Nora has a crush on Kitty's friend. Nora thinks it's pathetic, Sarah assures her that it's cute. She's hosting a dinner party, requiring all her kids be present, so this crush doesn't appear too obvious. Except that, what is a Walker get-together without all the hoopla?

In the middle of dinner, Kitty poses a hypothetical question to everyone --- if you know something that will be painful to someone if it is revealed, should you tell or stay quiet? It was supposed to be her attempt at discussing a political secret without revealing way too much (because Robert wants to keep his campaign clean); but everyone in the Walker family is always hiding secrets of their own, that the question raised paranoia among them. When Kitty told everyone how she and Robert don't lie to each other, and Robert agrees with a bit of hesitation, the domino chips came tumbling down.

• Kitty and Robert blows off steam in the kitchen. She's learning that the timing of her wanting to have a baby now didn't sit well with Robert.
• In comes Kevin offering unsolicited comments, which ticked off Robert and he brings up his gay brother's relationship with Kevin. Kevin defends by saying he's not doing anything wrong since he isn't married.
• Cue to Sarah revealing to a surprised Kitty that brother Tommy had an affair with his secretary, Lena....a girl Justin dated afterwards.
• Turns out Justin is still dating her, lied to his brothers that he has stopped seeing Lena. And when Kitty expressed her dislike for her, Justin defends her and says to blame it all on Tommy.
• Seeing the disappointed looks on his siblings' faces, Tommy tells them he is saving his marriage and that Lena was a mistake.
• Which his wife, Julia, overhears, just as she, like everyone else, has stepped into the kitchen, leaving their mother with her crush all alone. And right on cue, Nora also pops into the kitchen and orders all her children back to their seats.
  
• Now that everyone is in the dining room, Julia lets out a cry while Nora's being cute for her crush, telling him stories about the family dog. Thinking it was what has upset her daughter-in-law, Nora is shocked to learn her son was sleeping with another woman. And worse, her daughter-in-law slept with another man, too.
  

I love dinners at the Walker house!

In the end though, Tommy and Julia decide to work it out and Nora tells her son he's not like his father, since he didn't keep the affair a secret for decades, he knew it was a mistake right away.

Elsewhere...

• Sarah's new man, Graham, is putting the moves on her. There's a new kind of glow I see on Sarah and I am liking this new development.
• Robert's presidential bid witnesses a dent, which is why Isaac (Nora's crush) was there to help him. Isaac organized a town hall meeting with war veterans to clean up Robert's reputation and he did pretty well answering all the questions.
  
• The other Walker family, Holly and Rebecca, hosted a dinner at their house, too. And special guest was Holly's former flame, David. Holly assures her daughter David isn't her father, but why am I not convinced?

The Amazing Race Final Three

Next week's finale of The Amazing Race poses a big problem for me. In a rare instance, I love all three remaining teams, I wouldn't know who to root for. Nate and Jen, the bickering couple I was waiting to bite each other's head off, was eliminated tonight. Which leaves Ron/Christina, TK/Rachel and Don/Nic to compete for a million dollars.

• Father daughter team Ron and Christina had some ups and downs (mostly downs from Ron) but even as that may be the case, Ron acknowledges his shortcomings and is learning to trust his daughter's decision more and more. That's probably why they are winning back to back legs.
• TK and Rachel, earlier saddled with a speed bump that could have possibly ended their chances tonight, made an excellent comeback. What Nate and Jen lacked (patience and the ability to enjoy the experience), TK and Rachel had plenty of.
• Grandpa Don and his grandson Nic is a team that's likeable enough, who wouldn't want to root for them? Besides, you've got to commend grandpa's resilience.

So, I would imagine next week to be the most exciting finale since the last 3-4 installments I've seen of TAR. But back to tonight, I've got one other problem. --- what the heck was Phil wearing?

Not that anyone cares, but the Golden Globe winners are...

BEST DRAMA TV SERIES
Mad Men --- Philippine Premiere on ETC 2nd Ave Jan 17, Thursday 9 PM

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages --- Airing on AXN Cable Channel

BEST MUSICAL OR COMEDY TV SERIES
Extras

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR COMEDY TV SERIES
David Duchovny, Californication

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR COMEDY TV SERIES
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR TV MOVIE
Jeremy Piven, Entourage

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, MINISERIES, OR TV MOVIE
Samantha Morton, Longford

British Series: Honest

Matriarch Lindsay Carter, stands as the head of the family after her husband is sent away to four years in prison for stealing a car. That's the least of her problems though because in her family, everyone else needs straightening out. With the police as a constant visitor to their house, Mrs. Carter vows it is time they turn a new leaf and start earning their own money. One wonders how this 6-episode series will develop, especially since it is no secret, stealing and extorting money is their way of life.

Dysfunction in this family reminded me of Dirty Sexy Money and Arrested Development. And these days, I'll take to watching anything, especially anything that may resemble Arrested. :)

Adapted from an award-winning New Zealand TV series, Outrageous Fortune, I hear Rob Thomas (creator of Veronica Mars) is also doing the same story for ABC.

Had too much TV last night

...that I actually slept at 4 am. Old episodes of Ally McBeal and Charmed kept me up past 1 am. And when I couldn't sleep anymore, I had to watch Ellen's show also. It seems the reception on those freeTV channels on cable are better after midnight and my new channel of choice is 2nd Ave. They are bringing in some must-watch TV shows --- Mad Men and The Riches, as well as a score of other new shows. I recommend you ought to check out the channel.

Anyway, also from last night... some note-worthy episodes from 30 Rock and Ugly Betty:

30 Rock, simply rocked. Too many quotable quotes, mostly lines from Kenneth. I don't know where to start. Tina Fey, while mostly recognized as a brilliant writer, is slowly coming into her own as an excellent actress/comedian. The "Midnight Train to Georgia" musical ending was unexpected and downright hilarious. I'm trying to find a video of it online, but couldn't come up with any.

Just some of my favorite quotes:

Kenneth: I don't drink any hot beverages. That's the Devil's temperature!
Kenneth: (after drinking) I love the way coffee makes me feel. It's like my heart is trying to hug my brain!
Kenneth: I've always been told that New York was the twenty-first-century city of Sodom and look what's happened? I've become one of them. I've been sodomized.

Sadly, like many shows airing this week, this will be the last one for awhile.


Ugly Betty was entertaining mainly because of Amanda and Marc once again. He introduces her to a psychic who tells Amanda how he's supposed to find her father (who apparently is KISS' Gene Simmons).

Wilhelmina is looking for a surrogate mom, who will bear her child and Bradford's (whose sperm she had frozen).

Betty convinces Daniel to have normal-looking models for Fashion Week in the hopes of swaying Justin's model-obsessed classmates. Betty ends up doing the catwalk on the runway and convinces at least one impressionable teener that normal-looking is still beautiful.

Betty has about a couple more episodes left, if I'm not mistaken.

Some TV News bits...

• Tom Hanks tries to save the day, speaks up against AMPTP.
• A Dexter Protest from Australia - "references to Adelaide as some sort of serial killers' capital damages the city's reputation and its tourism industry."
• Golden Globes still on... somewhat

Grey's Anatomy S4 E11 Lay Your Hands On Me

This week's episode of Grey's Anatomy would have to be the last we'll see for over some time. And it's a good thing they left us with something to remember by. It was Bailey who did the narration for this episode, and halfway through it, we learn why.

Bailey's character took center stage as she finds her son in Seattle Grace's emergency room, just hours after she left their home for work. Baby Tuck had an accident --- his mother's thick medical books and bookcase came crushing down on him and he had major internal injuries. Bailey's husband is quick to blame Miranda, saying that she forgot to close the baby gate in her haste to leave the house this morning. Miranda blamed her husband for not watching over the boy. Their moments were intense. I feel for Bailey, I feel for Mr. Bailey. And even as Tuck survived the ordeal, it was clear in the end that the marriage wouldn't.

Meanwhile, Derek tells Meredith he's building a house for the two of them. Meredith's hesitation made Derek realize their relationship remains at a standstill...just like before; nothing has change, nothing will ever improve. And when Meredith accidentally finds out her boyfriend has been kissing the nurse, this relationship was also over by the end of the episode.

Other highlights:

• Meredith cooks eggs for Lexie, who was bunking at her house.
• Lexie's skin breaks out. She's allergic to eggs but didn't want to tell Meredith who made an effort to prepare her breakfast.
• George's mom visits the hospital, bringing yellow and green knitted baby clothes, for the baby he and Callie were trying to have. She had no idea her son is an adulterer. When she learns the truth from, of all people, Izzie, she berates her son like any Catholic mother would.
• Hahn tells Sloan she actually likes him! But she's keeping things at a professional level. In that hospital, somebody should.
  
• A healing lady tells Alex he's got bad vibes but they did see that Izzie brings him sunshine.
• Cristina chose to hold Baby Tuck's hand during surgery, when earlier, Izzie just told her she'd win the contest for Best Robot. She's no roboPublish Postt after all.
  

Here are some clips from this episode:

Switching over to Canadian Programming

The lack of interesting American TV shows to watch has made me switch over to Canadian programming. And this week, I checked out two TV shows from that side of the North American region. I wasn't exactly easily impressed by it, and it may be because I don't know who these actors are (not yet anyway). But you know what, the shows were far from bad. They were satisfactory. And in these times when there's a TV drought, I'd take satisfactory any day.

The Border is a drama series that will remind you of how 24 first began. Granted it isn't as suspenseful as 24, it provides enough drama, tension and complexities expected of a post 9/11 scenario. I wasn't familiar with a lot of their government references (or general Canadian culture for that matter) but it wasn't hard to follow the story. One thing I'm missing though is the connection with the characters. Right now, they all act so one-dimensional to me. The Border's official site

Sophie is a sitcom adapted from the French. It centers a woman who is about to experience the worst year of her life ---- her boyfriend cheats with her best friend and steals all her clients, while she's 8 months pregnant. By the end of the episode, Sophie gives birth and finds the biggest surprise. I can best describe the show as a little bit similar to Samantha Who? Cute and funny (although not as funny as Sam). Sophie's official site

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Someone wants to leave?

I had no idea. Care to guess who? Can it please be George? Coz I'm not liking his character much. :P And Heigl recently dissed her character, it could be her.

It's on Ausiello's Q &A:

Question: Some very mean and nasty people have been saying that Sandra Oh is leaving Grey's Anatomy, whenever it comes back. Since you are the god of TV scoop, I knew you'd be able to deny this for me.— Brittenay

Ausiello: Interesting. Unfortunately, I can't verify that rumor's authenticity. What I can verify is that someone — and a major someone at that — wants to be discharged from Seattle Grace, and STAT. But, as far as I can tell, that someone is not Sandra Oh.

Oh, Grey's Anatomy returns this Thursday for it's final episode (strike casualty). Bailey is narrating this one and we're made to prepare for something emotional. When the show went on Christmas break, they left us with a part one of Crash Into Me.. My guess is, Bailey's sacrifices at work will take a toll on her marriage, and she will lose either her husband or her son.

The Mole is Back

I missed out on this when it was airing four years ago. It ran for three successive seasons only.

But because creative TV is at a depressing halt right now (yep, that's right --- strike!), inexpensive reality shows are springing here and there. Well, this one isn't just springing... it's been brought back from the dead.

ABC is set for the return of THE MOLE. Cited as the smartest show on television (not so sure about that now), contestants are grouped together to perform tasks, both mental and physical, to win big money. Sounds like the usual? Not quite so. Among the contestants, the producers have hired someone to sabotage the task, hence The Mole...and the rest of them are supposed to determine his or her identity.

Here's how it played out the last time, from the third season, with celebrity contestants:



Read the press release of the return of THE MOLE here

Darn you Sky Cable! Here's what I'm missing on Conan!

Now that Conan O'Brien's show has moved to JackTV. And JackTV has moved to Destiny from Sky, on cable.... subscribers to Sky Cable in this side of the world, such as moi, have to resort to finding scraps on YouTube.

Had I not read about it, I would not have known Conan sang on his show last Friday.





I'm putting two videos in case one gets deleted...
(Videos from nonothebean and obsrobwoos on YouTube)

Proceeding with his show without the benefit of writers, Conan is doing everything, to the point of experimentation, to provided something fresh for his viewers. He doesn't attempt a monologue like Leno (who writes his own material) or Dave (who has an agreement with the Writers Guild). Conan, clearly the better writer between the two, is not pushing any pencils at all. He hasn't even shaved his strike beard. He's strongly on the writers' side.

You've gotta love this guy. The country song doesn't thrill me much but you've got to hand it to him for 1) doing a great job singing, 2) doing something different, and 3) not sacrificing what he believes.

Genius.

Cashmere Mafia S1 E1 Pilot

So first, here's the skinny...

According to a New York Times story, Candace Bushnell, was writing a book called Lipstick Jungle at Darren Star's East Hampton house at one point. Lipstick Jungle is about empowered women juggling work and relationships. Those who followed Sex and The City know who Bushnell and Star are --- they're the force behind that cult series. Darren Star had wanted to do Lipstick Jungle into a series, only NBC was able to buy the rights from Candace Bushnell first. Of course, Ms. Bushnell was happy about it, expecting another big hit, and so she holds a celebratory cocktail party. Guess who was supposedly missing? Her TV partner Darren Star. As it turns out, Star was also celebrating something himself. His new TV Show Cashmere Mafia has just been picked up by ABC. What's it about? Empowered women juggling work and relationships. Needless to say, the two are supposedly no longer BFFs.

I had previously seen Lipstick Jungle's pilot last year. I had expected more from Cashmere Mafia, granted it was pitched as the thinking woman's Sex and The City. :P

Boy, oh boy...have I got it all wrong.

Like Lipstick Jungle, I can't begin to point out what I so dislike about it.

For this series, being a successful woman these days you're bound to:

• have your less-powerful husband/boyfriend cheat on you --- Juliet's storyline, played by Miranda Otto. Juliet is a hotel chain CEO.
  
• have your less-powerful husband/boyfriend be the woman in the relationship --- Zoe's storyline, played by Frances O' Connor. Zoe is an investment banker.
  
• have your less-powerful husband/boyfriend resent your success --- Mia's storyline, played by Lucy Liu. Mia is in publishing.
  
• have no less-powerful husband/boyfriend so you turn to girls --- Caitlin's storyline, played by Bonnie Sommerville. Caitlin is in cosmetics.
  

These ladies are cliches. The plot line --- convenient. Their characters --- predictable and mechanical. The chemistry between actors --- not there. I don't believe for a minute these women had been friends for fifteen years. And somebody please let Miranda Otto lie on a tanning bed for a few minutes, she's so ghostly and she's scaring me!

Frankly, I like this one better when it had an all-male lead and was called Big Shots. That one was at least funny and had a heart somewhere.

In a nutshell, Cashmere Mafia is a show about smart women depicted in a shallow series.

Cashmere Mafia will run for at least seven episodes (strike casualty).

BB Franchise calls Rustom - Brad Pitt of The Philippines

... and I was like, "What?! Who told them that?" I mean no insult and I have cried about this scene on Pinoy Big Brother. But really how did that happen? Where's the parallelism? Is it coz of the hair?? That's the only thing remotely similar I can think of. My husband had a different reaction: "Bakit, bakla na rin ba si Brad Pitt?"

The exact content:

Nearly 11,000 miles away in the Philippines another housemate sought acceptance. Movie star, Rustom Padilla, the Philippines' equivalent of Brad Pitt, has spent four weeks in their Celebrity Big Brother house.

From a famous Filipino acting dynasty, Rustom had separated from his wife just before entering the house.

In the Philippines, butterflies are symbol for rebirth. And for Rustom, this was a significant moment.

Here's the video from Big Brother Around The World, which aired in UK's Channel 4 in the last week of Dec 2007.



You can watch a complete episode on YouTube (that is if it's not deleted yet). Just search for the show's title.

If you had to equate Rustom with a Hollywood Celeb, who would you pick? For some reason, my mind zeroes in on Robert Downey, Jr. and I don't know why. LOL!

Another Pinoy on Ellen

Does Ellen like Pinoys? :)

Two weeks ago, she had Charice Pempengco.

Watching cable a few minutes ago, I saw Alec Mapa, who's possibly the most popular Filipino TV actor in Hollywood to date. No Pinoy has able to achieve what he's done, as far as I know and in terms of a TV career over there.

Watch his Ellen appearance by clicking on the photo (it will redirect you to the YouTube link):

Celebrity Apprentice: Hotdogs

I'll start off by saying...I knew I gave up watching The Apprentice for a reason and I should have stuck with that. So, even as I was impressed by Gene Simmons using his celebrity clout to win the first task; even as Omarosa and that tabloid writer had an acerbic exchange that, for a moment, pumped up my blood with excitement, I don't think I'll watch the show again.

If this were a full-course meal, I was already full as soon as the appetizers were served. I checked out the first episode out of curiosity and my curiosity was satisfied immediately. It could very well be an exciting season, but I'll pass, thank you.

But for those who would like to see how it panned out, here are some videos from the boardroom. YouTube Video Credits to trumpfan.

BB Housemates evicted. PERMANENTLY.

And I mean, evicted...from living and breathing.

They DIED enroute to the Big Brother house. The report isn't clear but it seems like they were out of the house already and were heading back into the house when the accident happened.

Big Brother Cancelled After Three Contestants Die

The Serbian version of reality show Big Brother has been cut short after three former housemates died in a car crash.

"Following the tragic death of former Big Brother housemates Stevan Zecevic, Elmir Kuduzovic and Zorica Lazic, B92 and the production company Emotion decided to bring (the series) to an end," the producers said.

The three were killed in a car accident near Belgrade.

The remaining seven housemates were taken out of the house and told the news away from the cameras.

Source

Meanwhile, this week is supposedly the end of Pinoy Big Brother's Celebrity Edition. Unfortunately, when they decided to bring back evicted housemates into the house last month, and Big Brother grew to become this power-tripping, unreasonable metrosexual or something (Big Brother in the Spa? What the hell was that about?!) I lost interest again. :P

Give me an ugly trashy version of Big Brother USA anytime. At least on that show, they don't hide the fact that everyone in that house has a dark side and that it's not about making people look good on TV.

On the local version? Bad deeds are masked as well-meaning good deeds. "Oh, it's only a task, you've got to trust Kuya." Bullshit. Don't pretend it's a show that's out to help people make their lives and themselves better, PBB!

Hypocrite. :P

Incidentally, if you're in a local bookstore, grab a copy of TV[Star] Guide (P80 at National, P85 at Fully Booked). I wrote a piece on what it takes to be a PBB Housemate. :) Bwaha, promo! I wrote that a month or so before publication, and at that time I was still watching the show.

Maybe I should do a follow up piece --- How Big Brother Lost Control Of His Own Show. LOL.

Grrr.