Tag: Shawn Ryan (Page 2 of 3)

TCA Tour: FX Executive Session

August 7, 2009 /

John Landgraf, President of FX, just sat down and gave us his Executive Session, and here’s what came out of it:

* FX pursued six pilots this time around – three dramas, three comedies – and they’ve already picked up two of those. The first is an animated series entitled “Archer,” which stars Aisha Tyler, Chris Parnell, and H. Jon Benjamin, and is set at ISIS, an international spy agency where global crises are merely opportunities for its highly trained employees to confuse, undermine, betray and royally screw each other. (I’ve seen the first episode and it’s very Adult Swim, but that’s to be expected from a show created by Adam Reed, the man behind “Sealab 2021” and “Frisky Dingo.”)

The second, “Lawman,” was developed by Graham Yost (“Boomtown”) and stars Timothy Olyphant (“Deadwood”) as Raylan Givens, a character created by Elmore Leonard in his short story, “Fire in the Hole.”

* The network is also working with Louis CK, is looking into “Terriers,” created by Shawn Ryan and Ted Griffin, and a pilot entitled “Lights Out,” which was written by Justin Zackham (“The Bucket List”) and stars Holt McCallany, Elias Koteas, and Melora Hardin.

* Landgraf was absolutely not surprised about the lack of Emmy nominations for “The Shield.” I find that sad.

* The current “Rescue Me” season,, which Landgraf says they are “unbelievably satisfied” with, will consist of 22 episodes, and FX has picked up 18 more for next season, though they are contemplating expanding that order. When the show returns next summer, it will probably be earlier than it was this year. (The delay was predominantly due to the writer’s strike.)

* “Testees” will not be back for a second season on FX, but it will have a second season…in Canada, where it was apparently more successful.

* Announcements regarding the cast of Season 3 of “Damages” will hopefully be made within the next week or two, and Landgraf says, “I don’t think anyone in this room would guess who they’re going to.” The network was naturally disappointed with the ratings of the series in Season 2, but he admits, “It’s a very demanding show. It’s one where you can’t watch 3, 5, 7 episodes out of 13. You’re either in or you’re out.” This obviously doesn’t fit the current mindset for TV viewers, who he describes as being “more interested in dating than marriage,” but the series is what it is.

“If we came back with ‘Damages’ and it was Patty Hughes as Perry Mason, and every year she broke someone down on the stand and got her man or woman, you guys would literally be eviscerating me,” said Landgraf. “And I would deserve it.”

Lastly, here are the premiere dates for your favorite – and soon-to-be-favorite – FX series:

“Sons of Anarchy,” Season 2 premieres on September 8th
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” Season 5 premieres on September 17th
“Nip/Tuck,” Season 6 premieres on October 14th
“Archer,” premieres in the fall
“Damages,” Season 3 premieres in January 2010
“Lawman,” premieres in the spring of 2010
“Rescue Me,” Season 6 premieres in the spring or summer of 2010

External Entertainment, External TV, Interviews, News, Pilots, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, The Shield, TV, TV Action, TV Comedies, TV Dramas

TV Roundup: “The Shield” creator joins “Lie to Me,” “24” gets real and more

May 14, 2009 /

– I haven’t watched “Lie to Me” because I am generally anti-procedural these days, but the news that “The Shield” and “The Unit” creator/producer Shawn Ryan is joining the series as its showrunner has me intrigued. Unfortunately, this probably means the end for “The Unit.” R.I.P., my friend.

– Even though the finale to the eighth season felt a lot like a series finale, a ninth season of “Scrubs” looks like a lock because Zach Braff has agreed to appear in six episodes. Six episodes? For real? What’s the point?

– “Glee,” the latest from “Nip/Tuck” creator Ryan Murphy, got a great review from EW.com, even though the reviewer is not a musical kind of guy. “Glee” is a musical comedy, with an emphasis on comedy. It debuts next Tuesday on Fox.

– Kiefer Sutherland tells Reuters that the eighth season of “24” is probably the “most realistic” yet. This is good news because the last seven seasons have gotten increasingly ridiculous.

24, Actors, External Entertainment, External TV, News, Reviews, The Shield, TV, TV Action, TV Comedies, TV Dramas

Seven shows that just don’t get enough love

January 8, 2009 /

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to put together a list of my favorite television moments before the end of 2008, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the tube. (Come to think of it, maybe my television addiction was the reason I didn’t have the free time to write about the best of 2008. Hmm.)

Anyway, here is a list of seven terrific shows that seem to be flying under the proverbial radar.

1. “True Blood” (HBO)
Alan Ball, the writer of “American Beauty” and the creator of “Six Feet Under,” brings us a series based on vampires in the Deep South. The series is based on Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series of books and stars Anna Paquin — whom I argued, under the moniker of Eli Cash a few years back, would have made a better Penny Lane than Kate Hudson — as a mind-reading waitress in a small town in Louisiana. The first season was excellent, though it got off to a bit of a slow start. Paquin is the key, but her best friend Tara (played by Rutina Wesley) often steals the show.

2. “Dexter” (Showtime)
Everyone’s favorite serial killer is back for a third season. Dexter Morgan works for the Miami Police Department as a blood splatter analyst and he spends his night hunting and killing the worst criminals in South Florida. This series has been excellent from the start, and shows no signs of slowing down. This season brought in Jimmy Smits as an Assistant District Attorney with a serious dark side. After “Six Feet Under,” I thought I’d always see Michael C. Hall as the openly gay David Fisher, but now I can’t imagine him as anyone other than the dark and secretive Dexter.

3. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX)
Maybe this show just too crass to be mainstream, and thinking about it, that’s probably what makes it so great. “Sunny” really hit its stride in the third season, and the fourth season was even better. The show follows a group of friends (and Danny DeVito) that own a bar in Philadelphia. Every episode has its own completely ridiculous premise, but once you accept that every single character is a selfish, narcissistic moron, it becomes that much funnier. As far as sitcoms go, for me, the excellent fourth season put it in the same tier as “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Weeds” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and that’s some good company.

4. “Summer Heights High” (HBO)
Anyone who dug the U.K. version of “The Office” should check this series out. It’s an Australian mockumentary that follows three characters — the effeminate drama teacher Mr. G, the snotty private school transfer Ja’mie and the disruptive Tongan student Jonah — which are all played by the same actor, writer/creator Chris Lilley. Watching a grown man run around in a school dress is ridiculous, but that’s part of the fun. Lilley is extremely talented; it can’t be easy to morph into three very different characters every week. The humor is outrageous and the situations (especially involving the clueless Mr. G) can be David Brent-type awkward.

5. “Supernatural” (CW)
This sci-fi/fantasy series started off in typical “freak of the week” fashion with a different monster to defeat each week, but as it got into its third season, it really developed some serious, serialized chops. Now in its fourth year, the show continues to follow two brothers who are “hunters,” i.e. they fight all manner of evil — demons, vampires, ghosts, etc. Even in its first year, the show held my attention, but with all the happenings of the last two seasons, new episodes don’t sit on my TiVo for very long. Viewers who like sci-fi/fantasy should definitely check out “Supernatural.”

6. “The Unit” (CBS)
I think a lot of people write off “The Unit” as a typical CBS show like “CSI” or “NCIS” (or some other acronym), but as the show as worn on, it’s simply gotten better and better. The subject matter is ripe with storylines; the show follows members of a Special Forces unit (led by super-badass Jonas Blane, played wonderfully by Dennis Haysbert) and their families. A quick look at the production staff reveals a couple of big names — David Mamet (“The Untouchables,” “Glengarry Glen Ross”) and Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”) — that instantly give the show some serious credibility. Early on, the series could get a little “hooah!” and focus on the wives a bit too much, but the later seasons have struck the perfect balance between the professional and the personal.

7. “Brotherhood” (Showtime)
It doesn’t have as high of a profile as “The Sopranos” and maybe it’s not as addicting, but “Brotherhood” has the same feel and the same quality of writing. It follows two brothers in Providence, Rhode Island. One is a corrupt state congressman trying to do right by his family and the other is deeply involved in organized crime. Those that miss “The Sopranos” or “The Wire” should definitely rent the first season of “Brotherhood.”

External Entertainment, External TV, Fall TV Preview, The Office, The Shield, The Sopranos, The Wire, True Blood, TV, TV Action, TV Comedies, TV Dramas, TV Sci-Fi

The Shield 7.10 – Party Line

November 4, 2008 /

The last thing Shawn Ryan needed to do was to give his wife (Cathy Cahlin Ryan) a bigger part to play in the final stretch of his grand opus known as “The Shield.” Of course, I should have known that if anyone was going to bring down Vic Mackey it would be Corrine, and, well, that only makes her character that much more annoying. Is Vic Mackey a good guy? Not really, but the reason he went crooked in the first place was so that he could give his family a better life. Now, Corrine is punishing him for doing exactly that by turning to Dutch and Claudette for protection.

Protection? Has it really come down to that, even though Vic has stated time and again that he would never lay a finger on the mother of his children? And while we’re at it, would you like some cheese with that whine? Fer chrissakes, can someone just kill this woman already? She’s done nothing but cause trouble for Vic throughout the course of these last seven years, and he’s done nothing but protect her from the consequences. If anyone needs protecting, it’s Vic. Unfortunately, that’s not how the cards have fallen, and after being guaranteed immunity by Dutch and Claudette (even though the Assistant Chief would rather just arrest her instead), she spills the beans on everything she knows.

The Shield 7.10

Of course, Vic isn’t aware of his ex-wife selling him out, because if he were, he might’ve gone on the run with Ronnie as soon as the idea was brought up. Instead, he convinces his last loyal friend to stick by his side, hoping that if everything goes as planned, he can land both him and Ronnie a gig with the feds. That isn’t going to be possible with Aceveda stealing all his thunder, though. Just when Vic tries to prove his worth to Pezeula and “the cause” in front of his new cartel friend, Beltran, Aceveda hijacks the meeting and beats the shit out of Pezuela as a way of saying, “Who’s dick is in who’s ass now?” It was a rare shining moment for Aceveda, but at what cost? Vic is quick to jump at the chance to talk directly to Beltran, and his first order of business as a member of Team Drug Cartel is to assassinate Pezuela. Instead, Vic fakes his death and brings him to the feds so that he can testify against Beltran, and in doing so makes himself look all the more important to the case.

Meanwhile, as everyone in town is busy looking for Shane, the happy couple is having a gay old time in their temporary living arrangements – skinny-dipping in the pool, cooking out on the back porch, and playing hide-and-seek in the house. That is, until a real estate agent walks in on them and Shane is forced to lock her in the pantry as they make their escape. With only one more day until the motorcade comes to town, Shane is persistent that they just lay low, but he didn’t plan on Vic putting a bounty on his head. When a couple of gang members recognize him while he’s picking up some groceries, they hold him at a gun point while they call their boss for the reward. Desperate to escape, Shane offers them twice as much ($20,000) only for them to take all $100,000 when they notice there’s still money in the bag. In response, Shane gives Vic a call to let him know what a terrible mistake he’s just made. Not only has he sent Claudette a letter exposing “one of his many sins,” but he demands that the money be repaid by tomorrow.

What Vic doesn’t know is that while Mara is on the other line with Corrine filling her in on the details, Claudette jumps in to offer Mara immunity and Shane a better deal than Vic will get if they turn themselves in. Luckily for Vic, I don’t think Shane is going to take the bait. Of course, I’ve been wrong before, but it just doesn’t seem like a smart move on Shane’s part – especially when their ride to freedom is less than 24 hours away.

External TV, The Shield, TV, TV Dramas

The Shield 7.8 – Parricide

October 21, 2008 /

If there was ever any doubt that “The Shield” was really coming to an end, tonight’s episode stamped it out with the boldest statement they could make: Vic’s decision to call it quits as a cop. I don’t think anyone imagined that he would give up fighting for his badge (even when his official termination had been all but confirmed), but after the events that transpired, it makes sense that Vic wouldn’t want the restrictions of law enforcement to get in the way of what needs to be done.

It didn’t take very long for Shane to go forward with his retaliation on Vic and Ronnie, and after setting up an alibi with Mara, he heads to Vic’s house to exact revenge. What he doesn’t know, however, is that Two-Man’s assassination attempt on Ronnie didn’t go as planned. Ronnie escaped unscathed, while his date just caught a stray to the arm, and when Vic gets a call about the situation outside of his house, Shane is there to watch as his chance slips away right in front of his eyes. What I don’t understand is why Two-Man didn’t take a similar approach. Granted, the last thing I want to see happen is Ronnie getting shot for all the shit that Vic and Shane have dragged him through, but it just doesn’t make sense that the guy would try and kill someone from afar when he could have just as easily done it at point blank range.

The Shield 7.8

Nevertheless, with both Ronnie and Vic still alive, Shane is forced to go on the defensive – especially when Two-Man is captured and brought to the Barn for questioning. Dutch and Billings fail to trick him into confessing the first time around, but with the help of Vic (who suggests they just lie about having witnesses), they eventually get Two-Man to take the bait and give up Shane. Unbeknownst to everyone else in the captain’s office, however, Shane has already gotten the hell out of dodge. Claudette is curious as to why Shane would even want Ronnie dead, but as expected, Vic and Ronnie are both mum on the subject. In fact, Vic is so certain that Claudette will tie him to a desk for his final week on the job, that he just decides to up and quit right there, since it means he can go after Shane himself. Claudette warns him against it, but really, who’s going to stop him?

Of course, Shane has taken certain precautions as well. Though it seems he really did destroy that file he created on the Strike Team several months back, he sends Mara over to Corrine’s house to deliver a message: either Vic and Ronnie help Shane evade capture or he’ll testify against them in court. One thing he hasn’t considered, however, is Vic just killing him. I mean, that would solve all their problems, right? Perhaps Vic is worried about having to deal with Mara, but if he truly wants to move forward and make his current gig with the feds a permanent thing, he’s going to have to make Shane disappear – one way or another.

External TV, The Shield, TV, TV Dramas

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