I took the Alphas test and my Super Power is...

I've got super powers similar to Rachel's, the power I like the least. Haha!

So, this week's episode...it's clear to me that these Alphas are banded together to literally "work" to save the world. Or the United States, as they haven't crossed countries yet.

Now, here's my question --- How much does an Alpha get paid for? Who determines their pay grade? Who is paying for their salary? Do they get tax cuts? 

BTW, you can also take the test here.

Dodged A Bullet: Wonder Woman 2011 Pilot That Never Was

While a few people were able to watch the David E. Kelley Wonder Woman pilot last May, I --- along with the rest of the common people --- had to wait for someone to leak this online so I can take a peek at it.

Everyone's been saying it's THAT bad. I like Adrianne Palicki and would love to see more of her on television. And I thought my fondness for her would suffice trying to digest the pilot episode.

Sadly, by the 20-minute mark, I was ready to give up on it.

They made her character --- Diana Prince/ Wonder Woman/Diana Therma-whatever --- so unlikeable.

I have little recollection of Diana Prince back in the 80's. I was between 6-8 when Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman was on television. I think the only reason why I watched the show then was to see her do that turn, as she changed into her costume. That's my most vivid memory of the 80's series.

I faintly remember, however, that Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman was classy and elegant. She was nice, she was pleasant and she had no hang-ups.

This Wonder Woman?

She had issues thicker than the September issue of Vogue.

She was tough. She was edgy. She behaved like a brute. She had angst. She was vindictive.  If she grunted and if she wasn't wearing a costume that emphasized her "tits" (and yes, this Wonder Woman says words like "tits"), she might as well be I-Wonder- If- You're-A-Man.

Seriously.

Adrianne is a lovely woman.  But this show had a way of making her look less pretty, like a drag queen chasing after that bad guy running on the street.

Her boots had powers as well. One second it had 2-inch heels, the next second, it was flat like rainboots. Her boobs were distracting.

The opening scene felt like I was watching House. And one of the characters, played by Cary Elwes, was so familiar, like he's Wilson.

Her third identity watches The Notebook. And is a lonely, single woman without any friends. Perhaps it was a way to humanize her, but the angsty Wonder Woman is enough to fill up a therapist's schedule, that I can tell.

I did not enjoy the fighting scenes. The truth was, it was more empowering to watch Lynda Carter twirl than to see this chick kick butt.

A great storyline would've been a saving grace, but somewhere between the cheesy dialogues and the whole production, the show lost me.

Obviously, I have so many issues with this pilot, too.  Passing up on this was a good call for it really would be slaughtered by viewers.

Have you taken a peek at the Wonder Woman pilot? Your verdict?

First Thoughts: What I Love about WEB THERAPY with Lisa Kudrow

I should be blogging something longer. Lisa Kudrow deserves all the love (and the blog space!).

But I'm seriously lacking sleep and I know I might not make any sense (about to turn in and get my Zzz's).

But, but, but I want to get this out there before I forget what I want to say about her new show, Web Therapy.

In a word it's --  LOVE!!

I loved it. I enjoyed it. I was grinning as I was watching it.

• I love that Lisa Kudrow has perfected the art for playing strange people. Her Fiona is delusional and so full of herself, and yet so strangely likeable.
• I love that Victor Garber plays the husband. I love their whole banter. Their marriage is also quite strange, which I also love.
• I love Web Therapy's format. Somehow it feels like a British series.
• I love the necklace Fiona wears on the show. I've a serious, serious love for it.  =)
• I love that there's a blooper reel at the end of the episode. And Lisa's darn cute in it!
• I love that Courteney Cox is coming in a succeeding episode. I hear it's gonna be hilarious. Meryl Streep's gonna be in one, too.
• I love that Lisa Kudrow has thought of doing this after her other bid for a TV comeback after Friends failed. She did The Comeback, which was an unappreciated gem.
• I love that Showtime decided to turn this 10-minute webisode (which started in 2008) into a half hour TV program.
• I love the she and Matt Le Blanc both have shows on Showtime (Matt has Episodes). If only Matthew Perry follows them there.

And I would love it if you go watch Web Therapy, too... and come back here to tell me what you love about it!

Okay?

The X Factor USA 2 Minute Teaser

And it is on!

Simon and Paula's return as judges of a singing contest is all set, when The X Factor USA premieres this September on Fox.

This short teaser was aired tonight while Major League Baseball was on, perhaps to let its millions of viewers know that there is life after American Idol for Simon and Paula.

The teaser doesn't give away much. Except it shows a totally different Simon who "hopes to make this world a better place". Barf!

One other thing to note, I think Simon may have been rummaging through his sister's closet with that pink top. What is up with that??

Watch the teaser below:

I caught a booboo! Even TV Insiders get it wrong sometimes...

Thanks to my Evernote application, I was able to clip this article late last night because I was going to use the material for another site I contribute to.

I do remember Brian Smith on The Big Bang Theory. His character was stupid and that stuck with me. So, I was thinking this is a weird match-up. Serena doesn't have any chemistry with the guy.

But since it came from a reliable TV site... then okay, what the hell do I know, right?

This morning, the content changed.

And as it turned out, they got the wrong Brian Smith!

 

Which just goes to show, however reliable the site is, someone's bound to bungle up and confuse stuff. That's what happens when you watch too much television.

It happens to me all the time. And now I feel so much better, I'm not alone. :P

PS. The right Brian J. Smith is a better match for Serena!

First Thoughts: A is for Alphas; X is for Xmen

Alphas premiered on the Syfy channel earlier. It's a show about a group of people with extra-ordinary abilities called in secret to fight crime and evil.

In the pilot episode, the Alphas discover that there are others who have special abilities like them, who use their powers for the wrong reasons.

The Cast of Alphas

Worthy to note:

• The pilot episode is written by Xmen: Last Stand writer Zak Penn.
• The pilot episode is directed by Jack Bender, whose been directing some of Lost's most notable episodes.
• The black character, a former cop who has super strength, is the most annoying character on the show.
• The autistic character and black dude do not get along. That is emphasized more than once.
• The autistic character's power is the awesomest!
• He's easily the most likeable, too.
• He fixed the TV.
• But he can never be allowed to drive. :P
• Professor X-like character, Dr. Rosen, is played by David Strathairn.
• Clearly, he is the only actor/character I recognize, by name and by face.
• I dunno what Dr. Rosen's super power is. Certainly not telepathy, like Prof. X
• Why must the superhero with the super ability to persuade and influence thoughts always be attractive?
• If you're quick enough, you'd see that chick with power to convince showed cleavage.
• That was necessary, I guess.
• And she is like the Jean Grey to Dr. Rosen, me thinks.
• Eventually, the Rachel character is going to rub me the wrong way.
• I don't like the fact the she can "shut down" all her other powers when one of her senses is heightened.
• It can render her useless.
• That will get very old in the next few episodes, lemme tell you.
• And I dare not say that out loud, Rachel might hear me. :P
• New Alpha-dude, who is just beginning to understand his powers, is definitely HOT.
• Like Azkals HOT.
• Being HOT can also be his super power. :D
• Is he going to be part of the team?
• No one from the Alphas has the super-ability to heal fast, right?

The pilot episode laid the groundwork for who the characters are. The story, however, is weak but there sure is plenty of room for improvements later.

So how much did you enjoy Alphas?

Dallas is Getting A Reboot!

Folks in the 80's, I mean adults above 35 years old, loved watching only three types of drama series where I come from: Knots Landing, Falcon Crest and Dallas.

I knew little about television back then. No, wait...I knew a lot of television because I was already addicted to TV.

But I didn't understand a lot of the adult shows.

The funnest part for me was Saturday mornings, because that's when Saturday Fun Machine was on. Saturday Fun Machine was half a day of cartoons. (Kids,  we didn't have the privilege of cable's Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel growing up!)

But I was aware that Dallas was huge. As huge as Linda Gray's hairstyle:

And I think that the character of Patrick Dempsey (who plays JR Ewing if I'm not mistaken), is equivalent to today's Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy.

I came across the news that Dallas was getting a reboot. Immediately, I thought of my grandmother who was a big fan of American drama shows involving the rich and the privileged. She would've loved this news and so because of that, I consider my interest in the reboot as a personal thing.

I can't wait to see this, if only to feel some connection with my grandmother. Coincidentally, her 22nd death anniversary is this month.

The teaser shows that the older Ewings, the original cast members, are still very much part of the reboot (albeit in guest actor capacity, I guess). But there are also lots of new actors, like Jesse Metcalf (Desperate Housewives, Season 1) .



Dallas, the reboot, is set to air on TNT, summer of 2012.

I'm Seeing Double! Stories on Twins Invading Television

I've been looking for information on the show, The Ringer, which is supposedly starting this fall. The series is Sarah Michelle Gellar's first...since doing the cult-show, Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Yep, it's SMG's comeback. And if critics are right, it's going to be a strong comeback.

The story is simple and quite familiar, it's actually a trope.

You have two girls...okay --- twins. One is rich and living the good life, and the other is always in trouble. The girls live in separate states and they don't tell people who know them that they're half of a twin. But we have to watch the show in September to find out why that is or what kind of relationship they have.

Anyway, as any thriller would have it, the sister with the better life disappears. This leaves the other sister to assume her twin's identity, hoping she can start her life over.

And then, of course, the  story gets more complicated. The surviving sister, who is now an impostor, finds out her twin's picture-perfect fairy tale life isn't quite what it is.

I'll stop right here and say that it probably is worth a peek when it airs. The show has been chosen by the Critics Awards for Television as one of "8 Most Exciting New Series" to watch. Which is surprising because, this drama-thriller almost didn't make it to Fall Season.  The Ringer was originally planned for airing on CBS. But the network passed on it, and its sister-network (and no they're hardly twins), The CW, took it in.

Does The Ringer sound interesting to you? We have two months or more to find out what actually happens. But,  if you're curious to watch something similar, there's another show about twins that will be starting this August, a whole month before The Ringer's debut. I found out about it, as I was doing my research on TR.

This series is called The Lying Game. And it's also about twin sisters, with one of them dying and the other one assuming her identity.

Unlike The Ringer, however, The Lying Game happens in High School. And the treatment is entirely different, despite the similarities in the synopsis.

Here are the entries about these two shows on Wikipedia ---

Twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan (Gellar) have been at odds and find that their lives are both unraveling at the same rate. Bridget is on the run from the mob and in order to survive she takes over Siobhan's life after she mysteriously disappears. She soon discovers her estranged sister's life isn't as mundane as she had once thought

--- THE RINGER

Emma Paxton has grown up in foster care her entire life, when one night an estranged foster brother shows her a video of a girl that looks strikingly like her being strangled, she investigates and finds out her and a female named Sutton Mercer are identical twins who were separated at birth. So Emma sends a Facebook message to her twin with a response "OMG! Please come to the tuscon canyon. Oh and don`t tell anyone, it could be dangerous! Sutton(aka ur twin) xoxo". But when she escapes her foster mother Claurice, she gets a note saying that Sutton is dead and if she doesn`t pretend to be her, she`s next. As the book follows along Emma`s "Lying game" even Sutton might find out some things she didn`t know about herself...

--- THE LYING GAME

Both series have been based on books, by the way.

The Ringer premieres on The CW, Sept. 13

The Lying Game premieres on ABC Family, Aug. 15.

Which "twin"series will survive the season, I wonder?

And if one of these shows die, will the other show assume its identity? :P