THE FIRM on AXN Asia

I've been enjoying The Firm immensely. It's this new TV series based on the book that was also adapted for the movies. I blogged about the pilot episode here.

And for those who want to watch this series on cable television, you can finally see it on AXN every week.

*The following is a press release* 

It’s a TV Extravaganza this February on AXN 

NEW! Series The Firm – See it first on AXN Asia

FEB 19 2012 – Mark our words, February is going to be epic on AXN as modern legal thriller The Firm will be simulcast across Sony Pictures Television’s global network of channels including AXN in Asia!

The First AXN Original Series - The Firm

Sony Pictures Television/Frank Ockenfels

 AXN viewers in Asia will be able to enjoy the two-hour premiere of The Firm on February 19 (Sunday) at 9.50PM, on the same day it airs across 126 million households on SPT channels globally in Asia, Latin America, Central Europe, Iberia, Italy, Africa, Russia and the Baltics.

An AXN original series based on John Grisham’s bestselling novel, the TV reincarnation picks up ten years after the movie of the same name starring Tom Cruise. Hot shot lawyer, Mitch McDeere, brought down a Memphis law firm fronting the Chicago mob. Mitch and his family attempt to reclaim their lives by moving to Washington DC to start their own firm after leaving the Federal Witness Protection Program. However, the past has a way of catching up with them.

The stellar cast includes Josh Lucas (The Lincoln Lawyer) and Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers). Lucas is cast as Mitch McDeere, the role originally made famous by Cruise, with Lewis playing McDeere’s receptionist, Tammy Hemphill (previously played by Holly Hunter in the film). Canadian cast members include Molly Parker (Deadwood) as McDeere’s wife, Abby, and Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica) as his brother, Ray, and Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) as Alex Clark, the firm’s managing partner.

Sony Pictures Television/Frank Ockenfels

Showrunner Lukas Reiter, a former prosecutor who has worked on The Practice and Boston Legal, was the one who first sought out John Grisham in the hopes of scripting a sequel and eventually got him on board as executive producer. On what to expect from the new Mitch, Reiter teased, “What made Mitch Mcdeere so special is his ability to find the hidden solution long after the average person believes there is no way out…There’s a great amount of fun to be had watching Josh Lucas find those solutions.”

Shot on location in Canada, The Firm will keep viewers on the edge of their seats and fans of Grisham can anticipate the same kinds of drama and thriller feel that made the book and the 1993 film adaptation so original!

The Firm premieres on Feb 19, 2012 Sundays at 9.55pm (PH)

Catch the repeat timings of The Firm's Pilot Episode 

on Feb 23 at 10:55pm & Feb 26 at 10:20am

New episode every Sunday at 9.55pm  

First and Exclusively on AXN

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About AXN & AXN HD 

AXN is the heart of action and adventure. Launched in 1997, AXN is a leading English general entertainment destination among upscale, affluent adults aged 18-39. The channel delivers top -rated drama series, blockbuster features, adventure-reality and first-run lifestyle sports programmes from around the world, as well as dynamic original productions. In 2010, AXN once again cemented its position as Southeast Asia’s No. 1 international channel with The Amazing Race Asia Season 4 and Hawaii Five-0 Season 1. 

AXN is an international channel brand that started in Asia, but has since expanded to Latin America and Europe. It is available in 60 countries globally. In Asia, the channel is seen in more than 103 million households across 21 countries, including close to 50 million households on a time-block basis in China. 

A provider of unparalleled quality in entertainment, AXN enhanced the viewer experience when it entered the high-definition arena with the launch of AXN HD in March 2009. 

AXN ASIA is wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and managed by Sony Pictures Television’s Networks, Asia, which also operates pay-TV channels AXN BEYOND, ANIMAX, SONY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION and ONE.

AWAKE: Quotes from Closing Scene of Pilot Episode

I initially blogged about Awake in this entry and having watched the first episode today, I was really moved by the final scenes. Which is why I tried transcribing the conversation between the lead character and his shrink. (Though some of Jason Isaacs' lines were inaudible.)

DOCTOR(Psychologist): "Detective Britten, this fantasy is far from benign. While your brain should be resting, recharging, your subconscious is using it to hold up a detailed and complicated alternate reality. If we don't deal with that, this situation will eventually become unsustainable. Look at your hand...a moment of panic, of confusion has lead to do that to yourself. That's just the tip of the iceberg."

Britten takes a deep breath....

BRITTEN: "The thing is, doctor....yes, I still see my wife and my son. And I've also watched both of them lowered into the ground. When you see a loved one buried, over and over again, I would say you would do anything...anything to get them back. So, if you're telling me that the price of seeing them, feeling them, of having them in my life...is my sanity....it's a price I would have repaid. Hell, I'll come and see you and talk to you as long as they make me. But trust me, when it comes to letting one of them go, I have no desire to ever make progress."

There was also an unexpected twist at the end! UNEXPECTED TWIST!!!!

Have you already watched Awake? The first episode has been officially released online already, some two weeks ahead of its premiere.

What is Love? - by Brick Heck

Here's the essay written by Brick Heck from the comedy series The Middle, describing what he thinks love is.

I have raved so much about Happy Endings' Valentine's Day episode on Twitter (viewed four times!) and it aired the same day as the one from The Middle. (viewed twice!)

And The Middle, in all seriousness, is what I can totally relate to.

I hope you are all going to have a nice Valentine's Day celebration, no matter how grand or simple!

What is love? Shakespeare tells us that love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.

I'm only 10 and have yet to experience great love; so I chose to write about the only love I'm familiar with - the love my parents share. It's not a new love filled with burning passion.

My sister says they don't even french kiss anymore. But it's the little things I see them do for each other that tells me what love is.

Like in the car, when my mom puts her hand on the back of my dad's neck and massages it. Or when my dad warms up my mom's car and scrapes the ice off her windshield on cold mornings.

And how they've learned to communicate with each other using their own special language.

It's true we don't have a lot of money, but I'd like to think even if we did, my parents would still be at home, hanging out together. Of course, in a much nicer house with a jacuzzi soaking tub.

If you ask people what they think are the greatest love stories, they'd say Romeo or Juliet or Hermione and Ron Weasley. And those are fine. But if you ask me, great love stories can be small - like my mom and dad's!

Fun Away from TV: Watch Cirque Mother Africa at Resorts World Manila

Summer season in the Philippines is almost here. And for many of us, this means planning trips and activities the family can enjoy together, such as watching this spectacle by Cirque Mother Africa.

The group is scheduled to perform at the Resorts World Manila between April 19 to 22.

And if you're a fan of street entertainment, circus art and dance, acrobatics or performing arts in general, something like this as you would know, is more fun to experience live and on stage, rather than on television.

*The following is a press release* 

CIRQUE MOTHER AFRICA TO PERFORM AT RESORTS WORLD MANILA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - For the first time in Manila, the world-renowned Cirque Mother Africa (created by professional acrobat Winston Ruddle) will dazzle and mesmerize local audiences with wild African music, dance and performance in a two-hour showcase.

The series of performances will start from April 19 to 22 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila.

Having performed in sold out shows staged in Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Netherlands, Australia, Belgium and Spain - Cirque Mother Africa will tantalize audiences in Manila with a unique African-themed spectacle.

Dancers, percussionists, singers, acrobats and contortionists energetically take to the stage in a celebration of the culture of the traditional and modern African arts & culture.

The heartbeat of Africa pulsates throughout the jaw-dropping show as the musicians and artistes articulate their passion and love for their homeland including Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Benin, Zimbabwe, and Guinea.

The innovative show combines the talents from nine African countries to provide the wonder, suspense and joy of Cirque Mother Africa.

The show is a delight for the senses with items spun through the air, bodies contorted into mind-boggling shapes, and performers balance on other performers, percussionists beat up a storm of sound and traditional dancers tell their own stories. The audience will be overwhelmed by the complexity and versatility of these world-class acts.

Masks, drums, beads, and amazing costumes all bring forth the feel of authentic African traditions.

Cirque Mother Africa is not just a traditional African show. It also has a take on the modern, fresh and dynamic culture of the new Africa. Young acrobats perform feats that belong in any world-class circus, and energetic young performers compete in tap-dancing that is a toe-tapping delight. This is a fresh and fantastic show that evokes passion and demands a response. Audiences are encouraged, prodded and charmed to actively respond rather than to simply watch a breath-taking spectacle.

Cirque Mother Africa 2012 can be seen from April 19 to 22 at Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila. Tickets are available at selected National Book Stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Cinema Lobby – Greenbelt 1 and Trinoma. 

You may also inquire at TicketWorld Office www.ticketworld.com.ph call 891-9999 for bookings & reservations. EXCLUSIVE! Enjoy a 15% discount from February 7-20 by calling the following hotlines 0916-3403919 or 0921-5642108

FIVE Good Reasons Why THE VOICE is the Better Talent Show

It's new (kind of), it's fresh and more imporantly, it's interesting! You know why I love watching The Voice? Here are five good reasons:

1. Those turning chairs with the red button on it? They look awesomely empowering! Like, if I wanna declare war on some country, I'd want to sit on that kind of chair and press that red button with firmness and enthusiasm! 
2. Bad auditions? It used to be fun to watch. It used to be funny. Then it stopped being funny the moment every bad audition on every singing show tried to outdo Will Hung's audition. So, because bad auditions are so excruciating to watch now, The Voice did something else to keep audition rounds fresh and interesting --- by leaving out those tone-deaf, clueless aspirants off the air. Even the montage of those who failed at the auditions on The Voice weren't even bad! Other talent shows should take a hint, yeah?
3. The acts/talents are truly sensational. They cover most genres and have something distinct about them. They really have the *cough* X factor *cough.
4. Having the contestants pick who would coach them makes the audition process more engaging. A part of me always hopes that the singer I really, really like chooses to go with Team Adam, and when they don't... I go, "Owwwwww!" in front of the TV. 
5. ADAM LEVINE! Adam Levine and his tattoos. Adam Levine and his jeans. Adam Levine and his hair. Adam Levine and his smile *sigh*. Can Adam Levine not wear anything while he's on that chair????? Throw in a little bit of Blake Shelton's impish charms, then I'm so sold! The male viewers of The Voice will probably echo this with Christina Aguilera...and her humongous boobies. Plus points if she can actually coach her twins to sing!

Last night's premiere of the second season of The Voice increased by 27% in viewership, thanks largely to the Super Bowl it followed.

On hindsight, NBC was right to have this show follow the big game last night, and then subtley have Aguilera's full bossoms flash on the screen now and then.

The Super Bowl ---- with 97% of the men as its audience. Way to lure in more viewers!

AWAKE: The "Inception" of TV Premieres March 1

Hailed as the best series of the season at the last Comic Con, Awake was immediately benched (put to sleep?) from NBC's line-up before the new season even began.

Its status, as to whether it's airing or not, was unclear.

The problem, according to those who were lucky enough to have seen the pilot in May 2011, was that it wasn't because it's a bad show.

It's actually so good, so solid, so impressive and complicated,  that some were worried this was going to be too ambitious of a series to sustain.

This show was gonna be another high concept series. This show was expected to be the new Lost. And like Lost, it was going to involve several timelines, that writing for it was going to have to be flawless.

Production halted after six episodes, with writers and producers scrambling to review Awake's structure and storyline. The goal was to make the story tighter.

Producers of Awake expected their series to get a January 2012 airdate, and when that didn't happen, questions about its status were raised. Did NBC decide to pull it out of the line-up completely, fearing no one was going to watch it and get the story?

If were not for The Firm, which has been struggling with ratings and may be off the air soon, Awake's debut would have been delayed.

But, it is finally happening.

On March 1st, the series that, early on was being referred to as something like the movie Inception on television, is finally going to air.

Starring Jason Isaacs as the police detective who deals with two realities after an accident, Awake has such an intriguing premise. Here you have this cop, this father, who, after the accident, loses his wife in one reality and then loses his son in another reality. In both worlds, it all looks tragic. Which world, I wonder, is the bleakest for him? And which one would he like to remain?

Sit back and watch the four-minute teaser:



Awake is written and created by Kyle Killen. This is his 2nd show on television. His first one? 'Twas the ill-fated Lone Star on FOX, which starred James Wolk ♥ (Yes, I've got to put that obligatory heart there!) and was cancelled last season after 2 episodes. I loved that show! I was pissed it got the ax. Kyle Killen showed a lot of promise as a brilliant writer with that series, and it's just too bad viewers could not get on board with it.

Now, this has me a wee bit worried for Awake because, once again, as clever as the concept seems (and Lone Star was certainly one of those hailed as 'impressive' as well), the bottomline is --- will people watch and more importantly, stay watching?

Awake needs an audience that will be able to connect with its complexities. Will you be one of those watching this show? (For the love of quality TV, please do!)