Damien Lewis as the new Jack Bauer? I have no problem with that!

British actor Damien Lewis, who last starred in the cop series Life and played a huge part in the Emmy-Award winning mini-series Band of Brothers, is set to star in an upcoming Showtime series classified as a "domestic terrorism drama."

Homeland, which also features Laura Fraser, David Harewood, Mandy Patinkin and Claire Danes in the cast, is a story about a Marine soldier (Damien Lewis) who comes home after being a war prisoner in Iraq and is doubted by his superiors for colluding with terrorists.

The series, people say, is seen as a replacement for 24, which bowed out on television early this year. Homeland is actually written by former 24 scribes Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon.

I have no doubts Lewis is going to be amazing in this one. He was pretty convincing and capable in both his former television shows. Homeland's cast looks like a winner to me, too. Plus, with an intriguing premise which will be aired on  no-holds-barred cable TV? I am actually reeling with anticipation. I hope it comes on sooner!

What can you say about this upcoming show?

How many musical orgasms did you get watching Sing-Off?

I know I haven't blogging anything related to Sing-Off Season 2. But I've been watching. For its short five episode run this year, I throughly enjoyed every second of it.

When it first aired last year, I had been doubting whether it's going to get another run or if I'd watch it again. Though Season 1 was entertaining and it was clear there were really talented contestants on it, I was still so high on Glee at that time. I dismissed Sing-Off as just riding on the Glee trend. I laughed when they gave Sing-Off Season 1 just four episodes of airtime.

But like many TV shows where the first year usually starts out unevenly, I thought that Sing-Off found the right note on its second season. Not that Season 1 was bad (because it wasn't). It was new and it was still finding its right place on TV. So this time around, I think they finally did.

I was talking to the husband about it the other day (he is a huge fan of singing contests!) and both of us noticed the improvements this year. For one thing, it was hard to pick a group we can diss, because all the contestants were wonderful.  It took me till the fourth episode (of five!) to finally say that my favorite from this year's batch is Street Corner Symphony. [Click this link to watch Sing-Off Youtube Videos of this group]

But the winner, Committed, deserved their spot, without any doubt. In fact, when they sang this song below, I screamed my heart out in front of the television. I guess this is what Nicole and Shawn (two of the judges) meant when they said they get "musical orgasms" whenever Committed is performing.  Mine would have to be multiple, coz this was mind-blowing good:



Sing-Off set the bar for putting a show where real talent, and not just star power, is the main reason why you would want to watch it. And so for Season 2, viewers began to notice and started talking about it, tuning to it, watching it.

The second season did so well that, according to news vines, when the finale aired a few days ago, NBC actually rewarded Sing-Off extra thirty minutes of airing. And as inspired by that (so, it's no longer just a Glee trend then), NBC is coming up with another singing contest to compete with American Idol and Simon Cowell's XFactor USA. That new show is named The Voices of America, produced by Mark Burnett, who gave us Survivor.

Sing-Off is looking to get a third season run next December. That kind of worries me because... now that people are starting to notice this show, the powers that be may be eager to do a few changes so that it becomes more commercial. I hope that doesn't happen.

Did you watch the Sing-Off? Who was your favorite? How many musical orgasms did you experience?

EW's Ken Tucker's Top 10 TV for 2010

I just mentioned in my last list rundown that no one has Friday Night Lights on their list anymore, and here comes Ken Tucker, a writer and critic for Entertainment Weekly, with his. And his list includes FNL and a few titles others didn't mention.

Ken Tuckers' list, as I remember it, consistently has FNL and his top pick on it.

• 10. Work of Art: The Next Great Artist
• 9. Men of a Certain Age
• 8. Modern Family
• 7. Friday Night Lights
• 6. Justified
• 5. Mad Men
• 4. NBC Thursday sitcoms: Parks and Recreation, Community, and 30 Rock
• 3. The Good Wife
• 2. Fringe
• 1. Breaking Bad

You can find out why he has picked these here. 

CAMELOT Miniseries on Starz

The story of Camelot's been one of my fascinations. I hope this remake is going to be done well and I am definitely watching out for this.

Source

Teaser for New TV Series TRAFFIC LIGHT

I can't say if I'm gonna enjoy this comedy series, or if it's going to last a season. It's too soon to tell. But I do know that there's a Filipina in the cast, Liza Lapira, who was in that Kevin Spacey movie, 21.

Here's the teaser for Traffic Light, which is an adaptation of an Israeli TV show.

So What Does This Mean? No More Doc on The Big C?

If you're watching The Big C on Showtime, Reid Scott is the guy that plays the cancer doctor treating Laura Linney's character, Cathy. He's only on scenes for maybe a fourth of the show. But since The Big C is about beating cancer,  the doctor's part would have to be important, right?

So if Reid Scott leaves to do another show (read the blurb below)...would that mean Cathy's getting a new doctor?

This is from Deadline Hollywood:

Reid Scott to star in HBO's VEEP.

Eager to learn more about this Veep. Like, when is it coming? Fall 2011?

Attempting To Finish THE WIRE, Good Luck To Me!

At the beginning of the year (2010) I promised myself I would watch all five seasons of The Wire. Guess how many episodes I've actually watched? Of the 60, I finished with 4, maybe 5. And I have what? Two and a half weeks to go before the New Year.

Darn.

I know it's going to be impossible to finish all sixty in 2 weeks, when I have late Christmas shopping, housework, and actual work to do.

And I couldn't finish watching, not because the series isn't engaging. Far from it.

This is actually hailed as one of the best shows of the decade (which is why I wanted to watch it in the first place). Also, it's all headlined by character actors.  There are no celebrities with star power here but seasoned, convincing actors.

I couldn't finish because watching this show meant I needed to have full concentration, with my mind free of distractions. I need to process this well to enjoy it. It's not something one would watch mindlessly.

And if you've been following this blog (or my Facebook), then you must be aware, a clear mind isn't what I have all of this year, what with so many changes happening in our household and I'm kept constantly occupied.

Anyway, I'm going to finish what I can this Christmas break, seeing that most shows I follow are on hiatus and the mid-season premieres aren't happening till the second week of January.

If I begin to sound  serious and intense in the next few days/weeks, then you'll know it's probably because I've been internalizing the characters of The Wire and have stepped into their world.

What about you? What's on your watchlist this coming holiday?

17th Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Actors honoring fellow actors, this is what SAG is about.  This year's nominees for primetime television are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

• STEVE BUSCEMI / Nucky Thompson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE” (HBO)
• BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)
• MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan – “DEXTER” (SHOWTIME)
• JON HAMM / Don Draper – “MAD MEN” (AMC)
• HUGH LAURIE / Dr. Gregory House – “HOUSE” (FOX)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

• GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes – “DAMAGES” (FX)
• MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson – “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” (NBC)
• JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)
• ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson – “MAD MEN” (AMC)
• KYRA SEDGWICK / Dep. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson – “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

• ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
• TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
• STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
• CHRIS COLFER / Kurt Hummel – “GLEE” (FOX)
• ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

• EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton - “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
• TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
• JANE LYNCH / Sue Sylvester – “GLEE” (FOX)
• SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
• BETTY WHITE / Elka Ostrovsky – “HOT IN CLEVELAND” (TV Land)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

• BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
• THE CLOSER (TNT)
• DEXTER (Showtime)
• THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
• MAD MEN (AMC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

• 30 ROCK (NBC)
• GLEE (FOX)
• HOT IN CLEVELAND (TV Land)
• MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
• THE OFFICE (NBC)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

• BURN NOTICE (USA)
• CSI: NY (CBS)
• DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
• SOUTHLAND (TNT)
• TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

I would like to know --- Where's Laura Linney and The Big C? Still no love for Community? The last category, with the Stunt Ensemble? That's a new one, right?

The actors will be honored on Jan 30, 2011.

Teaser for New TV Series THE CAPE

NBC execs were quick about finding a replacement show for Heroes, weren't they?

I don't know how this new show, The Cape, will do. But Summer Glau's in there, she of the many canceled TV programs! I like her but....why are all her shows getting canned?? I hope she finally gets a show that would last more than two seasons.

Premiering in January with a two-hour pilot, The Cape has this kind of a Batman vibe to it. Watch the 3-minute teaser:

Teaser for New TV Series FAIRLY LEGAL

So this has been what kept Sarah Shani busy after her last show, Life, got canceled! (I loved that show, by the way!)

In my own little world, I see Sarah Shani as sort of the Sandra Bullock of TV. I'm finding it hard to describe and explain in words, but if you watch the teasers below, you will probably see why I see that.

FAIRLY LEGAL centers on Kate Reed (Sarah Shahi), a top litigator frustrated with the endless bureaucracy and daily injustices of the system, who takes a hard left to become the ultimate anti-lawyer: a mediator. Using her knowledge of the law, along with her savvy, intuition and a whatever-it-takes approach to resolving conflict, Kate finds the middle ground for a wide variety of adversaries -- from Fortune 500 corporations to bitter divorces. After the sudden death of her father, she finds herself at odds with the new boss, her stepmother Lauren Reed (Virginia Williams)...and in bed with her soon-to-be ex-husband, Justin Patrick (Michael Trucco), a top gun in the DA's office. Helping her keep all of this chaos at bay is her trusted, geek-chic assistant Leonardo (Baron Vaughn). FAIRLY LEGAL was created and is written and executive produced by Michael Sardo with Steve Stark serving as executive producer. The series comes from Universal Cable Productions.

Her new show begins this January on the USA Network.

Glee's First Comic Book Now Out This Week

Official Press:

Glee” is on hiatus for the next eight weeks, but Gleeks are in for a treat this week when Bluewater Productions releases the latest comic book biography, “Fame: The Cast of Glee” on Wednesday, December 15th.

The 32-page comic book one shot takes a close look at the lives of the actors and creative talent that have made the FOX Broadcasting's series “Glee” such a runaway hit. “Glee” fans can learn about the paths that show mainstays Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer have taken on their way to fame.

The comic also highlights the career of “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy, and his steady rise to Hollywood phenomenon. Cameron Cooke and Patrick McCormack wrote the script for “Fame: The Cast of Glee”, while Ben Bradi handled the art duties.

“This is probably one of the best comics we have produced” Not only the writing is done well, but also the painted art is truly one of the best I have seen”, said Bluewater Productions publisher. “We are even talking about doing a sequel to this one with some more of the cast members”.

Bluewater's Fame series ranks as a major success. It's celebrity comics continue to sell out each month. Last week the “Fame: Justin Bieber” comic book did the same. In the upcoming months the company will soon release comic autobiographies of Britney Spears, Beyonce and The Black Eyed Peas.

The suggested retail price (SRP) for the upcoming comic book is $3.99. To make sure you get your copy, contact your local comic book store to pre-order it. To find a comic book store near you go to www.comicshoplocator.com. The comic will also be on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/hUpYlO

Golden Globe Nominees For 2011

The Awards Season officially kicks off with the announcement of the nominees for Golden Globes 2011. Of course, we're sticking with the Television category.

The nominees are...

Best Drama Series
Broadwalk Empire
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
The Walking Dead

Best Comedy Series
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Best Actor іn a Television Drama Series
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
John Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Best Actor іn a Television Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carrell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Actress іn a Television Drama Series
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, the Closer

Best Actress іn a Television Comedy Series
Toni Collette, Unites States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Bic C
Lea Michele, Glee

Best Mini-Series οr Motion Picture mаdе fοr Television
Carlos
The Pacific
Pillars of the Earth
Temple Grandin
You Don't Know Jack

Best Actor іn a Mini-Series οr Motion Picture mаdе fοr Television
Idris Elba, Luther
Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth
Al Poacine, You Don't Know Jack
Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship
Edward Ramirez, Carlos

Best Actress іn a Mini-Series οr Motion Picture mаdе fοr Television
Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Judi Dench, Return to Cranford
Romola Garai, Emma

Best Supporting Actor іn a Series, Mini-Series οr Motion Picture mаdе fοr Television
Scott Caan, Hawaii 5-0
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
David Strathern, Temple Grandin

Best Supporting Actress іn a Series, Mini-Series οr Motion Picture mаdе fοr Television
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee
Kelly McDonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

The winners will be honored January 16th 2011, with Ricky Gervais as host.

The Jimmy Halpert Comics (The Office) Download

In last Thursday's Christmas episode of The Office, Pam revealed the homemade (hand-made? self-drawn?) gift she had made for hubby, Jim. It's this comic book featuring her husband, whose nemesis was this bear (which I suspect is inspired by Dwight).

There was this whole story line involving this comic book and Pam...and why she thought of giving this to Jim, and what the rest of her co-workers thought about it, and what she actually received as Christmas present from her husband.

But the best part was Jim's reaction. I think he teared up knowing how much effort his wife poured into this gift.

And then I went, "Aww..." watching it all on TV.

Anyway, some parts of the comic is available for download at the NBC Office site.

The Adventures of Jimmy Halpert 

I did not think this was the best Christmas episode of the show.

But these moments from Jim and Pam; or the fact that Holly Flax is back (albeit briefly) and Michael's pining for her again, makes watching The Office still worthwhile.

AFI's Top 10 TV for 2010

This year's top 10 TV shows from the American Film Institute, as chosen by their jury of scholars, film and television artists, critics (how's that for credibility, huh?).

Unlike other Top 10 lists, AFI actually honors these shows via a special luncheon with the cast and its creative team. They also hold a special week-long screening of these programs, including their Top 10 Movies of the year.

Anyway, AFI's chosen 10 for TV:

• THE BIG C
• BOARDWALK EMPIRE
• BREAKING BAD
• GLEE
• MAD MEN
• MODERN FAMILY
• THE PACIFIC
• TEMPLE GRANDIN
• 30 ROCK
• THE WALKING DEAD

AMC's three original programs (out of four) are all in here. AMC is the new HBO? And what in heaven's name is Temple Grandin?? Googling it up, as I've never heard of this TV program.

Time Magazine's Top 10 TV for 2010

Time Magazine's Top TV Shows 2010

Time's annual Top 10 list is out as compiled by TV Critic, James Poniewozik:

• 1. Breaking Bad
• 2. Mad Men
• 3. Parks and Recreation
• 4. Louie
• 5. Boardwalk Empire
• 6. Party Down
• 7. The Pacific
• 8. The Good Wife
• 9. Rubicon
• 10. Terriers

Poniewozik actually has a long explanation as to how he picked all these. As far as I can remember, he has been doing this list for more than five years.

You can read his column, as well as the list of his Honorable Mentions, here.

There's one thing I've curiously noticed from all these lists I've just compiled is the absence of Friday Night Lights. This show used to come up every time, including on Poniewozik's annual offering. It doesn't surprise me though, as FNL has gone through changes in characters and stories the last two years and it is not entirely the fault of the writers and its creators. The characters have to move on and "graduate".

TV Guide's Top 10 TV for 2010

TV Guide's Top TV Shows for 2010

TV Guide has listed 15 of it actually... and they are:

• Mad Men
• The Good Wife
• Justified
• Boardwalk Empire
• Glee
• Breaking Bad
• Modern Family
• Hawaii Five-0
• The Walking Dead
• Community 
• Damages
• Parks & Recreation
• Terriers
• Nikita
• The Big C

Why did they pick these shows? You can read the notes here.

Maureen Ryan's Top 10 TV for 2010

Terriers is on most everyone's Top TV List!

Maureen Ryan is one of those columnists/writers/TV critics whose opinions I love to read and follow. Her insights on anything television is something I can pretty much relate to, even when I don't agree with it sometimes. Her viewing list is also long and varied; she watches the most popular and perhaps the most obscure. I sometimes learn to love unpopular shows because of what she's said about it.

Here is her Top 10 list for this year.

• #10 - ABC's comedy trifecta -- 'Cougar Town,' 'Modern Family' and 'Better Off Ted.'
• #9 - AMC's drama trifecta -- 'Mad Men,' 'Rubicon' and 'Breaking Bad.'
• #8 -'Boardwalk Empire,' HBO.
• #7 -'Fringe,' Fox.
• #6 -'The Good Wife,' CBS. --- Watching 'The Good Wife' is not just like having your cake and eating it too, it's like having your cake, eating it and then finding out it's made of organic, locally grown vegetables. It's almost too good to be true. It has so many things that could be cheesy or soapy or predictable -- standalone weekly stories, courtroom shenanigans, a love triangle, for heaven's sake! Yet this show manages to be both escapist and dramatically challenging by handling all those elements in smart, thoughtful, creative ways, and by giving its top-notch cast of regulars and guest actors frisky, engaging material to play.
• #5 -'Lost,' ABC
• #4 -'Parks and Recreation,' NBC.
• #3 -'Party Down,' Starz.
• #2 -'Spartacus: Blood and Sand,' Starz.
• #1 -'Terriers,' FX.

Once again, Terriers is on the list. I really have to get to that show. I was planning on watching it the other night, but was sidetrack by....SLEEP!

You can read her comments for each of those programs here.

You can also find her runner-up list here. I am telling you, she watches a lot and any kind of TV.

Dear HBO's Game Of Thrones...I Think I Already Love You

Watch the 10 minute behind-the-scenes preview:



When? When are you coming to TV???

Attention Mall Shoppers: Darren Criss will be at Greenbelt & Trinoma Dec 21 & 22

... and I will be avoiding all these places on those dates.

As much as I like this kid and as much as I am proud to know he is half-Filipino, I can imagine the pandemonium his visit will bring. During the holiday rush, at that.

But some of you GLEEks may be crazy enough to brave the crowd to watch this guy perform live. So, here's the news blurb from Philstar.

Buddy TV's Top 10 TV for 2010

Buddy TV's list this year consisted of 10 Top Shows as well as 20 Honorable Mentions. I'll dispense with the honorable mentions and put their best ten ---

• #10 Louie
• #9 Damages
• #8 Raising Hope
• #7 Mad Men
• #6 The Big C
• #5 The Vampire Diaries
• #4 Chuck
• #3 Breaking Bad
• #2 Lost 
• #1 Community

As with the previous list from NY Mag, Community is at their #1. I can't argue with that. It's one of the shows my son and I bond over. The laughs are fresh and clever. Community probably beats 30 Rock when it comes quality writing, too. 

Good to see Raising Hope and The Big C on this list. Those would be part of mine also.

The legendary Paintball Fight in Community

The Walking Dead Finale Makes History: 6Million Viewers

I think he whispered: "Your show's finale is going to rate really well!"

For someone who has sworn off the zombie genre, I was standing in front of the TV last night, clapping my hands, as I watched The Walking Dead's first season finale.

The show earned six million viewers, making it the highest rated season finale in cable TV history. Cable, as I've been saying on this blog, isn't accessible to a lot of viewers in the US. To have at least a million or two million viewers, is already a feat. Six million is...incredible!

The story, overall, was actually inconsistent. Not the best writing I've seen, as there were some things that had not been explained well. The first one being, Rick should have been dead in the pilot episode. Because, as I understand it, toxic gases were released at that time and there's no way he should have survived that without a gas mask (and he was lying in his hospital bed, remember?).

But the show worked. It was engaging.

Dunno why I, and six million other people, was drawn to this series. I hated seeing all those creepy ugly  faces of the undead. I covered my eyes and missed parts of the show when the characters encounter them. I did not want to see brain parts flying across the screen. I definitely didn't like hearing brain mushed to bits. Eeek!

What was The Walking Dead's appeal? Very rich storyline? Strong source material (each character definitely holds an interesting back story)? Fear raising our adrenalin/excitement?

What made you watch The Walking Dead and what did you think of the show's finale?

New York Magazine's Top 10 TV for 2010

You know what I love about year-ends? Top 10 Lists of Best TV Shows!

And the first I've seen is this one, from New York Magazine. This is kinda late, in fact. I normally read lists like this, as early as November. It's probably because I haven't been making my usual rounds of blogs and TV sites lately. Gotta find me some time to waste on the internet! :P

Anyway, here's their pick:

You can read more of why those shows have been chosen HERE.

Surprised to see Louie in the list. It's the kind of show that takes a while to get used to. Sometimes I don't even get the humor of that show and I already have a slightly twisted sense of humor.

Terriers is something I intend to finish watching (only saw 2 episodes so far). It's just been cancelled due to poor ratings (viewers didn't even reach a million). But I've been reading so much about how stellar writing is for this program, so it's on my "Must Watch" list. That it's been cancelled makes it easier for me to pick it off from my list, since I only have to follow eleven (or so) episodes more. The holidays would be a great time to catch up.

Never did bother with Treme and I keep seeing it on someone's Top 10, year after year. Maybe I should start getting bothered? Hmmmm.

Like NY Mags list? Which ones do you agree with?

Castle & Beckett K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Are you a Castle fan who can't wait for Castle and Beckett to finally hook up? Here's an image to hang on to till the holidays...

Because this scene isn't going to air until January!

Got this off TV Guide, where there's a full story.