Category: News (Page 273 of 401)

TCA Press Tour: “House” remains a very, very, very fine “House.” (Surely you saw that coming.)

July 26, 2007 /

I’m not sure if Dr. House is actually an anti-hero, given that, even with his terribly irascible manner, he still manages to save the day far more often that not. Still, he’s a drug addict with a nasty temper who makes decisions based less on a will-the-patient-live-or-die mindset and more of a I-just-want-to-know-if-I’m-right mindset, and that’s not exactly the kind of guy who find yourself rooting for, per se. In fact, it’s a minor miracle that it took a full three seasons for his team of doctors to abandon him out of sheer frustration with his methods.

As the show enters its fourth season with a few Emmy nominations in hand, it sounds as though things are going to continue to go great guns. At the very least, it looks like everyone’s back in tow to some extent: although their characters had all tendered their resignations by the end of Season 3, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, and Jesse Spencer were all on the panel.

Producer Katie Jacobs admitted, “We struggled with how to sort of do exactly this. The truth is, everybody is back eventually, and everybody is back having changed and in different capacities. And, you know, it’s also sort of organic, so we only know where it’s going to a point. For us, for me, it’s the most exciting season we’ve started off so far because it feels very organic. You know, the last two seasons we’ve done an arc — season 2, season 3 we started out with arcs that involved other characters as a way to explore more deeply House’s character. But I think that their three-year fellowship, and all in different ways, has sort of naturally come to an end.

“In the first episode,” she explains, “House is alone, and House is trying to solve cases by himself. Of course, Cuddy is pissed and Wilson thinks he’s losing his mind. And Cuddy will insist that he hire a new team…but he will do it in a very House-ian way. Over the first bunch of episodes. he’s going to call in all the candidates, all the resumes on his desk — 40, I think it is, a large number — and we’re going to see who survives. We’re going to play a ‘House’ version of “Survivor” and see what candidates really will make the best part of House’s team. And House is going to give all the candidates numbers; because he can’t remember their names, they’re actually going to wear running numbers!”

Meanwhile, the trio of actors formerly known as House’s team remained pleased to be on the show, even if they really have no idea where they stand at the moment.

Morrison says that they found out about their characters shuffling off the show when “they told us all that they wanted to talk to us over lunch one day, which does feel a little bit like being called into the principal’s office. But they were fantastic and let us know what they were planning on doing.

Spencer corrected her. “Well, they didn’t actually know, though, did they? Well, I mean, they told us that we were coming back, but they didn’t know at that time in what capacity we were actually going to come back. And we are still not entirely sure. (But) we know we are back.”

Jacobs hinted, however, that just because we see them doesn’t mean they’re actually there. “(House) thinks he sees them. And Wilson is saying, ‘You know, you’re just feeling guilty, and you’re out of your mind.’ And Chase is working in Arizona in a hospital and Cameron’s with him. And Foreman is at Mercy Hospital running his own diagnostic
department. And we have fun with that as well. I definitely don’t mean to be coy, but I don’t want to spoil it for you entirely.”

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TCA Press Tour: “Family Guy” – The 100th Episode

July 26, 2007 /

One of the cooler panels during the course of the TCA Press Tour was unquestionably the “dinner theater” provided by the cast of “Family Guy,” who did a table read of their upcoming 100th episode for the assembled critics as they ate lunch. We were warned ahead of time that, yes, it was the unedited version of the script, and that several bits had been removed from the upcoming air version, but I didn’t hear any complaints after the fact, so I guess those of us with delicate constitutions managed to survive. I won’t give away any of the jokes – I mean, the show isn’t even scheduled to air until October – but I will say that it’s called “Stewie Kills Lois,” that there are jokes involving The Beatles, Barbra Streisand, and “The Lake House,” that there are tentative plans for guest appearances by James Woods and Rob Lowe, and that it’s a two-parter, so even we don’t know what happens in the second half.

Oh, and I’m guessing that Peter’s bit where he reminisces about he and Lois going to an abortionist is almost certainly not going to be in the version that you see on Fox.

After the read, the cast remained on stage and took a few questions from the crowd…the first of which, unsurprisingly, was, “Seth, what exactly did you cut out of that script?”

“Oh, I think the abortion one was about eight times as long,” MacFarlane laughed. “Some of this stuff, actually, you will only see on the DVD. There’s some stuff that was, you know, judiciously edited with our approval. And some stuff — for example, the swearing you’ll only see on the DVD. Since that’s become such a big part of “Family Guy,” there are — occasionally if we bleep something for TV, we’ll let it slide on the DVD.”

Most surprising admission from MacFarlane: that they’re never out to shock for the sake of shocking. “The thing that I try to do with ‘Family Guy,'” he explained, “is to kind of have this balance between the classic and the edgy. You know, we do a lot of poop jokes, but at the same time, we use a 45-piece orchestra every week with a full string section. If something is just shocking and not funny, then we’ll cut it out. And we have these table reads every week, which we do for each episode, in which we have a very good cross section of artists and people from the outside and writers, and, you know, the studio network is there. And no one is shy about gasping in horror if we have crossed the line, and so it’s a very good barometer.”

Best bit of gossip from MacFarlane: “Certain members of the Brolin family were amused by the (Barbra Streisand) gag that we did. That’s all I’ll say.”

Most surprising anecdote: the FCC responded to the show’s FCC-themed episode…and thought it was funny! MacFarlane admitted that it “surprised the hell out of me…and gives me a little bit of hope!”

Least surprising question: let’s just say it involved a reference to manatees. (I’m as guilty as anyone; I did the same thing when I talked to him…but I like to think that my comedic timing was better.) Of course, MacFarlane offered up his now-stock response about how he’s actually a big fan of “South Park,” but what he also provided was a surprisingly solid explanation as to why they enjoy doing the cutaways that Parker and Stone busted their balls about.

“The cutaways they sort of see as a deviation from the story,” MacFarlane explained, “(but) we sort of see them as, in a weird way, kind of these animated versions of, like, one-frame ‘Far Side’ cartoons that are sort of, you know, something you can only do really, I think, effectively in the animation medium. And, you know, they’re just kind of laughs for laughs’ sake. You don’t have to know what’s going on with the plot. You don’t have to know what’s going on with character drive. They’re just pure comedy…we hope!”

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TCA Press Tour: “New Amsterdam” not exactly new to “Highlander” fans?

July 26, 2007 /

If there’s one recurring theme throughout my TCA Press Tour posts, it’s my ongoing desire to not name names when it comes to my brethren in the organization and their occasionally questionable questions that pop up here and there, and I’ll be maintaining that trend here as well. But with that having been said, I gotta say that there were some folks in the audience at the “New Amsterdam” panel who just would not let it lie that the series bore a bit of resemblance to the mythos of the “Highlander” films and TV shows.

Okay, here’s the thing: both feature a lead character who’s an immortal. That’s pretty much where the resemblance dies. And lord knows the characters from “Highlander” aren’t the only immortals in all of fiction. I mean, right off the top of my head, I’m immediately thinking of Vandal Savage, from DC Comics, not to mention Immortal Man. Yeah, I know, once again, I’ve outed myself as a complete geek. But my point is that it really isn’t that hard to just sit back and accept that maybe the creators of “New Amsterdam” haven’t ever seen “Highlander,” which is exactly what executive producers David Manson and Allan Loeb both said outright.

Or, at least, you’d think it wouldn’t be that hard.

Unfortunately, dig this exact quote from one of my compatriots:

“When I first looked at the show, I actually thought of ‘Highlander’ right away. For the producers, you just said that you’ve never seen it, that you’ve heard of it. I find that hard to believe. It was a hit show. It has a great fan following, still does today. It also had a couple of hit movies, which is what started the whole ‘Highlander’ franchise, with Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. I find it a little bit surprising that you said you’ve never seen it.”

Of course, Loeb and Manson echo each other’s sentiments once again, both saying, “I’ve never seen it.” The writer proceeds to bring up another point about the show, then she still would not let it die, saying, “I was just curious why you said you hadn’t seen it…”

Finally, star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ended everyone’s torture by interrupting with, “They’re lying. You’ve caught them out.”

Manson assured this writer, “I’d be happy to tell you I had seen it if I had, but I haven’t,” while Loeb attempted to be funny about it all, adding, “I’ve seen ‘Dracula.’ He was immortal, too.” And, thankfully, that finally was the end of it…but, my God, how ridiculous is that, to keep pressing a point for that long after it’s been answered to the satisfaction of everyone else in the audience?

Okay, sorry, that just really stuck in my craw. So, anyway, about “New Amsterdam”: it’s about a guy named John Amsterdam who’s been living in New York for 400 years and uses his knowledge of the city and its people to solve complex crimes. How is he 400 years old? Basically, he was cursed years ago, and he cannot die until he finds his one true love…so, of course, the premise of the series finds him searching for said love, even as he spends the rest of his time fighting crime. Yes, it’s a little bit like “Highlander,” but, then, it’s also a little bit like “Angel,” if you really want to get technical about it…but no matter what inspired it, it still sounds like an interest concept. The series will incorporate the occasional flashback to Amsterdam’s earlier years in conjunction with his present-day activities, so we’ll get to see what things were like in his olden days as well; plus, the producers have stated outright that he’s had children in the past, so he may well bump into his great-great-great-grandchildren while he’s out and about.

Weird but cool. That sounds like “New Amsterdam” in a nutshell.

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TCA Press Tour: Insert “No ‘Bones’ About It, The Show’s Better Than Ever” joke here

July 25, 2007 /

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again to give credit where credit is due: if it wasn’t for my wife, I wouldn’t watch nearly as much “Bones” as I do. As a diehard David Boreanaz fan, she was there from Episode 1 of the series to watch her boy in his new gig…and, not surprisingly, that meant that I was there a fair amount of time as well. It’s come quite a long ways over the past few years, with Emily Deschanel growing into her character…or maybe it’s her character doing the evolving; I can’t always tell…and the rapport between Deschanel and Boreanaz getting stronger all the time. Additionally, the ensemble cast has continued to gel, which only adds to the success of the show.

* The character of Zach Addy – played by Eric Millegan – went off to Iraq at the end of last season, but since Millegan was on the panel, it was reasonable for us to presume that he’d be back for Season 3. Before Millegan could answer, however, creator Hart Hanson interrupted, “Don’t verify it, Eric! Waffle! Just because you’re here on the panel doesn’t mean you’re back!” Millegan looked for a moment as though he thought Hanson might be serious, but when Hanson admitted that he was kidding, Millegan revealed, “Yeah, I’m back. And, gosh, I don’t want to give too much away, but he was sent home early. He was supposed to be in Iraq longer, and he was sent home early, and in the show we’re going to explore why he was sent home early and how he feels about that.”

* As far as Fox’s repeated threats to move the show to an invariably-deadly Friday night timeslot, Hanson stated with conviction, “We’re not going.” Would that he had the power to make that decision. “We’ll do what we can,” he finally said. “You know, FOX does what they can. They’re fair. They have a good plan. We’d just like to perform well enough that we don’t have to move to Fridays.”

* Speaking on the subject of the definite sexual tension between Booth and Bones, Deschanel offered a titillating revelation. “I think this season we’re growing deeper as friends and other things,” she says, “just deeper as a relationship, pretty soon. I mean, we investigate a certain kind of fetish that comes up in a crime that we’re investigating and that kind of brings up a lot of sexual tension and stuff between us.” (“Pony play,” cracked Boreanaz.)

Going on, Deschanel said, “And you can see how we have been affected by being left at the altar after Angela and Hodgins left their wedding and how that kind of affected us and how we’re forced in some way to face what we feel for each other. And you’ll see that at the beginning of the season, how we’re dealing with that.”

Boreanaz added, “You’ll see us very separate and apart and not kind of clicking, I think, in the beginning. Then you’ll see how that kind of gets back and working and how it sparks up again and the reasons why it works, the reasons why it doesn’t. Again, we can possibly throw in a therapist maybe to help us with our relationship in order to deal with the workplace, which I think is — I don’t think you’ve ever seen that on television, so I think that’s a really unique insight into how these two characters will grow with each other as the show grows.”

Hanson, however, got the last word on the subject…as is only appropriate for the show’s creator.

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TCA Press Tour: Ain’t Nothing Wrong With Nawlins

July 25, 2007 /

At first glance, the idea of a cop drama which takes place in the post-Katrina world of New Orleans seems like it might taking advantage of a well-documented natural disaster to inspire ratings…but after the panel for “K-Ville,” I walked away being more curious that I otherwise had been. I still haven’t seen the pilot for the series yet, but despite my concerns, it sounds like there’s far more of a buddy-flick dynamic between stars Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser than I had anticipated. More importantly, though, the show is actually being filmed in New Orleans, with the cast and crew doing their part to rebuild the city.

Anderson hadn’t really spent much time in the city prior to Katrina’s devastating strike. “My first time there really was during the pilot back in March,” he admits, “and to arrive in the city, it was very disheartening to see the city in the state that it was. The spirit of the people in New Orleans is unlike any other spirit in people that I’ve seen before, you know, to go through what they’ve gone through and still walk tall with the sense of pride and courage. In Lower Ninth Ward, Jefferson Parish and places around like that, that are hard-hit, where communities have been devastated and decimated. And this is still two years later, so for it to be that way now, yeah, it was quite a shock and a surprise to me, what we’ve allowed to happen on our watch, our government or whoever. But you know, we’re there lending a helping hand to do what little it is that we are doing, but we’re doing something.”

To say that Anderson is doing little is to say that he’s being humble. Later in the panel, he acknowledged that “we signed on with Habitat for Humanity, and we’re out there on our days off rebuilding the community and rebuilding homes because, you know, this is our neighborhood, and this is where we plan on living for the next 6, 7, 8, 9 years. So that’s what we’re doing, personally.”

After Anderson applauded Fox for A) putting the show on the air, and B) allowing them to shoot it in New Orleans, thereby bringing revenue to the city, producer Jonathan Lisco added, “There are some people working on our crew right now, our art designer and a few other people, who have come up to the three of us and actually embraced us. The art designer, Tim, in particular, said to me, ‘You know, your show is the reason why my family and I have recommitted to the land here: because I got the job down here. What’s interesting is…and not to sound too grandiose…but, luckily, the people of the New Orleans are very resilient by nature. So it’s nothing that we’re creating from whole cloth, but I think that the show is great for the rebuilding, concretely, of the city, but also for the spirit of the city.”

And the show does sound interesting. In addition to the very specific regional flavor of the area, the show is being described as a cross between “NYPD Blue” and “Starsky & Hutch,” which, at least in theory, sounds like it has a decent amount of potential.

Although Lisco admitted that he wasn’t out to malign any specific show, he nonetheless admitted, “We’re not trying to do something that is so hyper-real that it’s along the lines of “Nash Bridges,” where each
episode there’s a your-ass-is-mine by our bad guys, a car chase, et cetera. However, we’re not necessarily out to be only messaging in the wake of a big national disaster. We’re out to create entertainment, and I actually think that that balance is something we are very focused on in the show. We want to create entertainment; at the same time, we want to be socially relevant to the extent possible.”

Will they find the right blend? We’ll see.

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