Camelot on Starz: First Thoughts

I just finished watching the pilot episode of Starz Channel's Camelot and the word I'd like to associate it best with is --- PLEASED! Seriously, when the episode ended, it was the one word I could think of.

• I'm PLEASED it stars James Purefoy and Eva Green. They're the evil characters of the series and I think they've picked the best actors/actress to play the roles of King Lot, Arthur's nemesis and Morgan, Arthur's half-sister who also knows dark magic.
• I'm PLEASED the kid playing Arthur the future King of England, Jamie Campbell Bower, is capable and not at all cheesy. 
• I still couldn't get over Joseph Fiennes' failure as the hero of last year's Flashforward, but I'm PLEASED that as Merlin on Camelot he is slowly winning me over as an actor again. 
• I am NOT PLEASED to see Claire Forlani old and wrinkly, though. She plays Arthur's mother in this series. But I'm PLEASED to see her on screen, just the same. 

I've watched Merlin on the Hallmark Channel when it aired on cable a few years back. Camelot's mood is a lot darker compared to that one. The husband has introduced me to the tales of King Arthur (Excalibur, et. al.) long ago and I've been captivated by its legend, which is why Camelot's something I've been waiting to see when I first learned this was going to get a series treatment.

And overall? I'd say the show has good casting but not so great writing. I do hope the writing improves as the show progresses. But I've no real complaints about Camelot and would be anticipating the second episode when it airs.

New Show Alert: The Killing

I almost forgot that many new shows are coming out this April, including the highly anticipated Games of Thrones (which I've been mentioning on this blog since two years ago!). Along with that, AMC also has this dark crime drama premiering for 2 hours on April 3rd (USA).

Entitled The Killing, this series is about a murdered teenager, Rosie Larsen, whose case becomes controversial, involving families, high school kids and politicians, and where everybody is considered a suspect.

The Killing stars Mireille Enos as Sarah, the lead detective and Billy Campbell as a top politician, and is set in Seattle, Washington where the mood compliments what the show wants it to be. Early reviews are saying this story is absorbing. It's supposed to get viewers really hooked...so we'll see.

Personally, it takes awhile for me to warm up to a crime drama like this one but you know me, I will try watching anything.

Watch the four-minute teaser below:

Dear People from "The Office"...

It was not easy to accept Michael Scott is leaving.

But since your writers made it possible to bring Holly Flax back...and then have Michael propose to her in the sweetest way a woman could ever hope for, I feel so much better knowing Michael Scott is going to be happy when he leaves Dunder-Mifflin/Sabre.

"This is where I fell in love with you, and this is where I am asking you to marry me," he said, getting down on one knee. 

But before he could pop the question, the fire alarm went off and the sprinklers started spraying. Still, he asked, "Holly Flax, marrying me will you be?" 

Tearing up, she said, "Your be charming wife me will I." 

The entire staff rushed in clapping, and an ecstatic Michael then surprised them all: "We're moving to Colorado. I'm leaving."   --- SOURCE

Thank you very much for doing this and congratulations Michael and Holly!

Noooooooooo!!! "Lights Out" Knocked Out!

I've been looking forward to watching maybe five seasons of this show, but it looks like it's not gonna happen. I really belong to the minority on this one. In fact, there's no one I know who I can talk to about Lights Out (except the husband who loves this show like I do).

Lights Out gone. Cancelled. Knocked Out.

In spite what I think is good story-telling, the series wasn't rating well, so it's getting the boot.

Boooooooooo!!!

Hot Dang! Presenting...Wonder Woman 2011 [Costume, Logo, Details]

How, how, how will she be able to move in this ultra-tight fitting thing?

Photo from TVLine

Looking at this photo via thumbnail, I thought it was an action figure and not a real human being. I think they've really patterned this after the comic book series.

Those too young to remember or have not yet been born to see Lynda Carter in her costume, well this is how she looked like:

Also, here is supposedly the new logo for the series:

Details about the pilot script:

• As announced, there will be three alter egos: Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, and Diana Themyscyra (the head of Themiscyra industries). While the whole world knows Diana T and Wonder Woman is one and the same (ala Tony Sparks/Ironman), no one knows Diana Prince is also both identities.
• In Diana T's basement, there's no high-tech laboratory of sorts to do her work (again, ala Tony Sparks). Instead, a group of young CSI-ish people live there, and they are the ones helping her solve crimes.
• There is no invisible jet. But Diana/WW owns plenty of colorful rides, including an aircraft.
• Similar to the old series, Diana has a BFF named Myndi Mayer and hopelessly pines for an ex-BF, Steve Trevor in this new version.

There's more on that here.

So, what do you think? I hear screams all over the internet. Not everyone's loving the costume.

What TV Show Earned The Biggest Profit in 2010? Here's Forbes Top 10 List

Forbes rounds up TV's most profitable programs, based on advertising revenues, for 2010 with the help of Kantar Media, a surveying firm.

And the Top 10 Biggest Moneymakers on TV are:

1. American Idol
2. Two and A Half Men
3. Desperate Housewives
4. Grey's Anatomy
5. Dancing With The Stars
6. Lost
7. Big Bang Theory
8. 24
9. Private Practice
10. Mike & Molly

• Glee and Modern Family almost made it to the Top 10 list. 
• Chuck Lore's three shows are all in there (#2, #7, #10). 
• And I can never understand how some shows ended up where they are. Advertisers love them? Really? These advertisers...they don't watch a lot of TV, do they?

Check this article to read full detail.

A Different Kind Of TV Show With Dogs [Wilfred Teaser]

I've wondering about this, wondering if they are ever going to make a TV series with dogs. Like maybe have a show top-billed by a hunky veterinarian with relationship problems (too cliche, yeah?).

But I did not expect this one. This new show with a "dog" in it looks far-out crazy, I just like what I saw from its short teaser.

The series, Wilfred, is a half-hour comedy starring Elijah Wood and Jason Gann. Wood's character is manic-depressive and suicidal, while Gann? Gann is the dog. No, seriously. He's in dog costume all the time.

Originally airing in Australia, Wilfred is created by Jason Gann and has been adapted for US Television, set to air this year.

Watch:

Goodbye Glee, Hello Gossip Girl!

GOODBYE!

Watched Glee last weekend. Decided it was time I quit it. I'm so over it now.

The stories weren't really making sense. It never did, from the beginning. The characters do not make any point. And the production numbers are beginning to look like this afternoon teen show our generation used to watch on local TV. They're not even picking out good songs. 

So, I'm abandoning this show and will be waiting till that new musical series (Smash with Debra Messing) starts in the Fall.

HELLO!

Upon the suggestion of a friend, I started watching Gossip Girl with a new mindset. I used to think so differently about this show and admittedly, I didn't give it real chance.

Gossip Girl is well-written, with many flawed characters you can both love and hate.  I don't what possessed me to say that it's shallow and superficial. Was I so mistaken, I see that now.  Because after re-watching and completing the first season, I finally saw that it's nothing but that. I should've trusted Josh Schwartz, especially since I love all his other shows.

==============

So what about you ---

Which former favorite are you thinking of ditching and which show are you planning on giving a second chance?

Life Unexpected's Baze & Lux Find New Shows

Kristoffer Polaha and Britt Robertson, stars of the cancelled series, "Life Unexpected" have booked pilot shows which will hopefully make it to Fall 2011.

Polaha is starring in "Ringer" with Sarah Michelle Gellar. This is Gellar's return to TV after several years. She was last seen as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". "Ringer" is a drama about a woman on the run who assumes the identity of her twin sister.  The series also stars Nestor Carbonell from "Lost".

Robertson, on the other hand, heads to The CW to play the lead in the adaptation of "Secret Circle", a young adult book series (much like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl). The story is about a teenager from California who moves to New Salem and discovers her family's secret --- she comes from long line of witches. Not to be confused with "Sabrina The Teenage Witch", though, Secret Circle is a drama series.

Off The Map Will Soon Be Off The Air?

While there are no official announcements yet, it seems the Grey's Anatomy medical drama set in the jungle, Off The Map, isn't going to get a second season. Some of its stars have signed up and are set to do pilot shows for Fall 2011. The move is a good fallback, just in case the Off The Map folds.

Martin Henderson is on board NBC's "Reconstruction" with fellow Off The Map co-star Rachel Lefevre. The series is a period drama set during the civil war.

Zach Gilford, on the other hand, is leading "Iceland" for Fox and he will play the "bad influence".

Meanwhile, Mamie Gummer is heading off-Broadway, starring in The School of Lies.

The show has actually wrapped up production in Hawaii a few weeks before.

Fascinating How Life Imitates Art: Comet #Elenin & The Earthquakes

I interrupt the program to express my prayers and safety for the people of Japan.

I've been feeling restless and agitated  upon learning of the news earlier. Watching what has happened on TV broke my heart and I got even more depressed. It was hard to contain tears when I saw those images.

Curiously, while seeking for more updates about the disaster, one of my contacts on Facebook posted a link to a video from an astrophysicist/scientist declaring that the earthquake may have been caused by a comet. This comet, named Elenin, discovered in December 2010 by a Russian scientist, Leonid Eleinin, is supposedly causing the Earth to shift from its path, resulting in all these Earthquakes and other disasters the world is experiencing. Elenin is expect to bring full impact by October of 2011, which could mean more disasters in the months to come, with the most devastating one happening around that time.

Here is the video I'm talking about:



On a lighter note, I could not help but observe how much life has been imitating movies and television, with all these disasters affecting us. The deaths of black birds in massive proportion in January felt as if it has been lifted from the scripts of "Flashforward".

And then we have this....the news regarding Elenin, which feels a lot like "Deep Impact", with a black American President to boot.

Only, this is happening for real.  No director is yelling "cut!" or wrapping up the day's events.

I know that this is alarming and I'm sure that if you google "Comet Elenin", you'd come up with more hits that can prove or disprove this information. You can take it for what it is, debunk it, or as most people in my country would do --- pray and ask for protection from the Supreme Being that we will be spared from more calamities.

Anyway....bounce, back Japan! And be safe, everyone. Live a good and enriching life, love the one you're with and be compassionate to those who are difficult to get along. Because as these disasters show, whether this is real or on TV, it all can end for us in an instant.

Revisiting "The Following Takes Place..."

Sometime in 2005, I was in my dorky 24-phase and wrote this blog inspired by 24. Been going through old blogs to share something to a friend and rediscovered this.

Some parts edited because I apparently forgot my proper use of tenses and verbs in 2005....or even today. :P

Between 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM
A couple settles down in front of the TV/DVD to watch a show that starts with "The following takes place..." They are on the 2nd disc, about the 9th/10th episode.

Between 11:00 PM to 12:00 AM
The couple continues to watch the DVD of the show that begins with "The following takes place..." Since events on DVD do not occur in real time, hence no commercial interruption, the couple may be able to finish the 2nd disc tonight.

Between 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM

• The couple finished watching the 2nd disc of the show that begins with "The following takes place..." Incidentally, the last episode they finished also ended at 1:00 AM.
• The couple thinks it's cool. They felt that, like dorks, they did watch the show "in real time".

Between 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM

• The couple decides to have a snack. They decide to go downstairs and eat the left-over chicken they had for dinner.
• The husband proceeds to use the downstairs bathroom after that. Plumbing in the downstairs bathroom is bad. The husband opens the faucet to fill up the bucket with water so he can flush the toilet after peeing. (Because the missus will be on his back if he didn't. Leaving pee unflushed on the bowl would smell bad!) 
• But the husband forgets that the main pipes of the village's water source shuts down at 11:00 PM. The husband is annoyed he can't flush the toilet and tells the missus about it. In his annoyance, he forgets to close the faucet. He also doesn't notice the bucket sitting directly on the drain, covering it.

Between 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM
The couple sleeps.

Between 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM
They are still asleep.

Between 4:00 AM to 5:00 AM

• The village's main pipes open.
• The husband is still asleep but the missus gets up at nearly 5 AM. She has to prepare breakfast for the little boy, as well as packed lunch and snacks.
• As the missus walks down the stairs going to the kitchen, she distinctly hears water running.
• She discovers half the first floor of the house is covered in water. She wades through it and goes to the downstairs bathroom, closes the faucet and sighs.

Between 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM

• She proceeds to cook in the kitchen, despite being ankle deep in water. She will deal with the "flood" later. But right now, time is running out. The school service will pick up the little boy at 6:00 AM. She has to prepare breakfast, pack snacks & lunch and supervise the little boy's bath time.
• The driver is finally awake. The missus asks if there is water in his room. He says there is some. The missus asks if he can please clean the mess up. He obliges.
• He asks the missus what just happened and the missus tells him the faucet was left opened, the bucket blocked the drain so the water didn't spill out the drain but onto the floor.
• The driver apologizes. He says he may have forgotten to close the faucet the night before.
• The missus says not to worry, it can happen to anyone.
• The missus didn't say it was the husband's fault.
• The missus continues to do her chores until the little boy's school service arrives.

At 6:00 AM

• The missus goes to the bedroom, opens the computer and proceeds to write an entry to her blog.
• The missus has an interesting story to tell the husband when he wakes up!

Okay, pretend that that's 6:00AM...

"The Kennedys" TV Mini-Series Teaser with Katie Holmes & Greg Kinnear

The TV mini-series "The Kennedys" was supposed to have died a couple of months back. Even before it had the chance to air, the History Channel decided they didn't want it, saying it didn't fit their brand. But another channel stepped in and gave it new life. And hopefully, we will be to watch Greg Kinnear play President John F. Kennedy and Katie Holmes play First Lady Jackie Kennedy.

Like many people, America's "Royal" Family fascinates me.  Countless of books, movies and TV shows have been done about them. The reason why History Channel passed on this is because there was apparently a conflict between historical accuracy and historical fiction. The latter is very common in show business, when telling a story based on real people and real events.

Whether historically accurate or whether the crew exercised creative license too much, the trailer shows a potential fascinating drama, which I think is always great for TV. (The more I can watch, the better!)

Greg Kinnear always delivers as an actor. Katie Holmes, on the other hand, is probably going to look to this as her most challenging role to date. I hope she surprises me when I watch it.

The series debuts April 3 on ReelzChannel (USA Cable).

Watch the trailer below:

For Your Prison Break Fix, Here's BREAKOUT KINGS

Michael Scofield in Prison Break isn't coming back ever again. And if you're missing all that action and suspense, there's a new show premiering tonight that could help fill the void. It follows the same theme. It's called Breakout Kings.

I don't know much about it and I'm trying not too read a lot so as not to spoil my anticipation. All I have are the following:

• It's created by two former producers of Prison Break
• Some of the convicts are already out of prison. I got that from the teaser (below).
• The storyline will focus on how they evade the authorities so that they won't go back to jail. Or how the authorities are trying to look for them and catch them.
• Which means, unlike Prison Break with its season-long episode arc, Breakout Kings is a procedural. You can watch one episode and won't miss a lot for the whole season.
• T-bag from Prison Break is guest on this series. Also, Jacob from Lost.

Sounds good?

Here's the teaser:

Ex-LOST Actors Finding Gigs Back on TV

Missing the cast of LOST? Don't fret. I think they all took a year-long break before going back to TV. I mean, except for Daniel Dae Kim, who stayed in Hawaii to do Hawaii Five-O immediately after Lost ended and Dominic Monaghan who was in the unremarkable Flashforward series.

But the rest of the Losties? Fortunately, for us fans, some of them are back on TV this year!

Here's a quick rundown on where you will be seeing them ---

• HURLEY (Jorge Garcia) - He was on How I Met Your Mother recently and he occasionally appears on Mr. Sunshine with Matthew Perry. But Jorge Garcia will be starring in Alcatraz next season as Diego Soto.
• SAWYER (Josh Holloway) - He's filming a movie but he will also be appearing in the highly anticipated Paintball 2 finale of the comedy, Community.
• BEN (Michael Emerson) - He was on Parenthood the other week, playing a guy with Asperger's Syndrome. He will be joining the show Persons of Interest, from JJ Abrams due in the 2011-2012 season.
• DESMOND (Henry Ian Cusick) - He is moving to Shondaland (Shonda Rhimes. Oh, brother!) and will star in Damage Control,  which I think is a show about crisis management experts. 
• CHARLOTTE (Rebecca Mader) - She guest starred in No Ordinary Family for a multi-episode arc and will soon be in the series, Aim High, which is about a teenager who is a spy. 
• DANIEL FARADAY (Jeremy Davies) - He is seen in this second season of Justified which is currently airing.

There was briefly a rumor about Locke and Ben starring in their own cop series, but this was never confirmed. Do you know of any of the other Losty going back to TV? Who did I miss?

What's Cooking for Pilot Season Fall 2011?

I've posted a couple of news regarding what we can expect from the newest crop of shows for Fall 2011 here and here. Over the last two weeks, I've read casting news and even more developments as things are taking shape and production season starts.

To date, there are close to 80 shows under development. As fall season nears, the list will expectedly trim down to some 30 or less, with other productions put on hold or folded. Cast members will be revamped;  lead stars, show-runners  and directors will cancel their contracts.

But there is an emerging trend from all these new developments. There's a smorgasbord of programs to look forward to.

To sum it up, these are the stand-outs. These are the shows that's getting the early buzz. And these are the shows we will likely be talking about in the Fall.

Click on the actors' names to be led to their IMDb profile (so you will recognize 'em):

1. MUSICALS in the vein of GLEE:

• SMASH  - produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Debra Messing, Jack Davenport and Katherine McPhee.
  DESCRIPTION: a show-within-a-show vehicle about a group of people who come together to put on a broadway musical
• HALLELUJAH  - written by Marc Cherry (who created Desperate Housewives) and starring Jesse L. Martin and Frances O'Connor.
  DESCRIPTION: drama about a tiny town in tennessee which finds itself being torn apart by the forces of good and evil

2. ZOMBIES in the vein of THE WALKING DEAD:

• AWAKENING  -  created by Bill Laurin. Lucy Griffiths, a young actress from Britain, has just been casted in one of the roles of the sister.
  DESCRIPTION: a drama about two combative sisters who come of age amid the beginning of a zombie uprising

3. HIGH CONCEPT DRAMA

• PLAYBOY  - Jeff Hephner (from Hellcats) from  plays this Hugh Heffner-type character. Hephner on Heffner. Get that?
  DESCRIPTION: drama about a group of women working as playboy bunnies in the now defunct new york club in the 1960s.
• REM   - only Jason Isaacs has signed so far, with Kyle Killen as creator. Kyle Killen is also the 

  

  Minka Kelly
  starring in
  Charlie's Angels

  creator of Lone Star. (It was one of my favorites this season, but only lasted 2 episodes.)
  DESCRIPTION: drama about the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who can not let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a horrible car accident.

4. REBOOTS

• CHARLIE'S ANGEL - Stars Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh and Rachael Taylor. This is an old favorite. I was Sabrina Duncan among my cousins, I think. Drew Barrymore comes aboard as Executive Producer.
  DESCRIPTION: update of the 1976-1981 series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, this time set in miami
• WONDER WOMAN - Adrienne Palicki will play the iconic role in a series that David E. Kelley will run.
  DESCRIPTION: drama about the dc comics icon, a vigilante crime fighter in l.a. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life

5. COP SHOWS 

• IDENTITY - Wentworth Miller is in talks with ABC to star in this one. But Angela Bassett has signed on.
  DESCRIPTION: drama about an elite police unit formed to combat the explosion of identity-related crime

6.  FANTASTICAL/MYTHOLOGICAL

• GRIMM - Silas Weir Mitchell from Prison Break is one of its stars.
  DESCRIPTION: fantasy cop drama revolving around characters from grimm's fairy tales
• ALCATRAZ -  JJ Abrams is bent on creating another hit with this and a cast that includes Jorge Garcia from Lost and Parminder Nagra from ER.
  DESCRIPTION: drama about a group of missing alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day and the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance 30 years prior

So, what do you think?

You can also check this link for more about Who's Who in TV Pilot development this season.

*With sources from Deadline & The Futon Critic

Listen to David Cook Sing "Don't You Forget About Me" From Simple Minds

This song will be featured on American Idol, when contestants get booted out of the show. What do you think about David Cook's spin to this 80's classic?

Pretty Little Liars: A Person Of Interest

Last night on Pretty Little Liars...

I really dug the Sergeant Spencer Hastings look:

I liked Aria in the beginning, but I'm slowly leaning towards Spencer now. I love that she is smart and dresses smartly. I love her curiosity. But I also love her vulnerability. Of the four girls, I think Troian Bellisario (Spencer Hastings) is most capable as an actress.

I was thinking Lucy Hale is the biggest star of the show, having starred in a couple of primetime shows than the rest of these girls. But how quickly did her story line (as Aria) drown into the background, putting Spencer to the front & center?

I liked this Marc Jacobs number on her from last week, by the way:

I could not resist sending Hannah Marin a text last night:

Text from Me: HANNAH MARIN, YOU'VE BEEN A BAD GIRL!

She lost her virginity to Caleb, who, we found out, has an agenda against the girl(s). Who did Caleb talk to on the phone? A?

And I guess,  this is how Emily will react when she learns Hannah's new secret:

That's the best the girl can do. Let's not force it. I can't deny, however, that of the four girls, she oozes with sex appeal and beauty the most.

Have you been watching PLL? How are you liking the flow so far? I've been reading a couple of cast interviews that seem to suggest they won't be basing the killer from the book. It's gonna be someone else.

Also, in the most recent chapters of the book, it turns out Allison has a long-lost twin who resurfaces in town. No one knows about this twin. Not even Allison's mom. Was it the twin who had been orchestrating all these?

This show has got me really hooked!

I've got chills...

...from watching this latest Game Of Thrones trailer.



Once again, my expectations have gone up another level. I've been anticipating this so much, eagerly expecting to be blown away, that if this series ends up being badly produced and executed, I know I'll be heartbroken.

I hope that's not the case.

Game of Thrones airs April the 17th on HBO.