Thursday, September 27, 2012
Homeland
I was able to watch the first 2 episodes of Homeland, season 1. They were edited for On Demand, but it didn't take away from the story at all.
I have a love hate relationship with Actor Damian Lewis. I have watched him in a couple series (The Forsyth Saga, Life)and I just had a hard time liking him. But he is perfect for this part. He is Nicholas Brody. He has this hidden anger, this awkward intensity that plays so well in this role.
In the first episode, I was having a hard time believing Claire Danes as a CIA officer. She's always played these rather mousy, insecure characters and this woman, Carrie Mathison is one feisty little thing. She's willing to break all the rules, and I like that. I like it a lot.
I'm only on the second episode of season 1 and I can tell you, I am already over Jessica Brody. MEH. She's annoying. Anyone agree? I feel like the storyline between her and Nick's best buddy Mike has already been done. It's to be expected, in a show where nothing is suppose to be as it seems.
I am loving the premise for this show. I love play between Danes and Lewis, though they rarely do a scene together. I love Actor Mandy Patinkin, who plays Saul, Carrie's somewhat adviser and friend. He is great in this role and the danger, not only dealing with terrorists, but the defying the country you work for, has made for some interesting twists.
I'm hooked. I might need to just order Showtime. Ha. Thoughts?
GS, I have limited baggage with Lewis and Danes. I don't think I've ever watched Claire Danes in anything and with Lewis, I'm limited to "Life" (aka Life with Jenny) and "Band of Brothers".
ReplyDeleteLike so many actors these days, I was surprised to hear Lewis's English accent in an interview. Probably not as shocked as I was when I heard Andrew Lincoln from "The Walking Dead", though. I wasn't at all ready for that one.
And, not to worry, Brody and Carrie will have a lot of shared screen time soon.
I love Mandy P. as well, and right now, he's the only guy who can (or can he?) keep Carrie on the rails.
Whatever you do, GS, keep watching.
I plan on it!
ReplyDeleteCaught this piece on NPR in my car this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteAudio included.
And, Syd thought Will was too old for Jenny! Ha!
ReplyDeleteHere is Tippin and Everdeen cozying up for the first of 2 unrelated movies.
Will's getting old but his girlfriends aren't.
Oh, "Fringe". You keep this up and I may eventually forgive you for Season One, possibly even the first half of Season Two.
ReplyDeleteThis is the show you should have been right out of the gate.
I suggest you just order the first season of Homeland from your local library. It'll probably be there within a couple of weeks. I don't know why more people don't think of that. It's frickin' free.
ReplyDeleteI was working off an old post which sent me to the previous article. I didn't even know a new one had been started.
ReplyDeleteI'll subscribe to this one and come back tomorrow to get caught up.
Uncle, I've always subscribed to posts rather than comments. Both strike me as lacking, but that's how I roll.
ReplyDeleteUnlike the woeful "Undercovers", NBC has granted "Revolution" a full season order.
ReplyDeleteThis week's 3rd eppie was written by former "Alias"/"Lost"/"Fringe" scribe, Monica Owusu-Breen. Okay, okay, she also wrote for "Brothers & Sisters" and "Charmed", but nobody's perfect.
Seems that she has parted company with her longggg time writing partner, Alison Schapker, who accompanied her on each of the shows listed above.
This week's eppie also featured Jacob (Mark Pellegrino) from "Lost".
An enthusiastic (but somewhat spoilery) review of the pilot for "Hunted".
ReplyDeleteFor those wishing to remain spoiler-free, let's just skip to the "verdict":
"The one thing that I did correctly assume was that the series would not disappoint. One thing that is clear is that Hunted is an utterly addictive and well rounded action/thriller series, sure to fill the gap left by the likes of the aforementioned Spooks and dare I say even 24."
Followed by:
"Sure, the series will have the odd detractor or two. But it is tightly written, well paced, with fantastic camera work and top class performances from the likes of Melissa George and the rest of the cast. What VFX there is in Hunted is impressive (disclaimer: I want Byzantium’s briefing room table). Furthermore, the series presents a lot of potential with a very intriguing A and B plot that will keep viewers on the edges of their seats (who is CAG and who does he work for?) and a dark back story to George’s character that is sure to be explored further as the series continues. Also, knowing that George did all of her own stunts makes one wince just that bit more throughout the fight sequences. Though a co-production with HBO/Cinemax, I consider Hunted to be a British show and this is the first time ever that I can recall considering a British show to be better than anything coming up from the US networks. Simply put, Hunted is an adrenaline fueled series which is sure to become a hit on both sides of the atlantic."
Wow, I hope he's right.
Looks like it's almost time to "Die Hard" again. Stuff is gonna get blowed up.
ReplyDeletePage,
ReplyDeleteThe new Die movie looks GOOD!
I'm having trouble keeping up with the TV shows. Too many at one time with my schedule. High class problem, as they say. And soon there will be 2 more!
BTW, HI GIRLSCOUT!!!!!!!!! What's new with you?
Uncle, part of the problem is that several nights of the week have nothing worth watching and then suddenly there are 2 or 3 shows in one evening.
ReplyDeleteOf the new shows, so far I'm luke warm on "Revolution", but I think it has potential. Given the slow start that "Fringe" got off to, I'm incline to be patient with it.
"Last Resort" is decent, but it's too soon to call it a runaway hit, for sure.
"Hunted" debuted on the BBC earlier tonight. I'm hoping to catch a look at it in a couple of days. Early reviews of the pilot are not as upbeat as I would have liked, but I always prefer to do my own reviewing before passing judgment.
We recently learned that Melissa George was a coin toss away from being Sydney Bristow. This review indicates that she was also in the final running to play Carrie Mathison on "Homeland", before Claire Danes landed the role. Hmm, always a bridesmaid much?
"Hunted" now available on BBC website.
ReplyDeleteGeo-blocked, of course, so you'll have to fudge your IP address, a task I leave to Firefox plugin Anonymox.
It's been a great year for Adele, and now she cashes in with the latest Bond theme, "Skyfall".
ReplyDeletePage,
ReplyDeleteI am definitely in for Last Resort, but I'm bailing on Revolution, unless I hear it has improved. I just can't take the bratty daughter who never follows her uncle's instructions.
POI has been different, but good. I'm guessing they will settle back to their winning model, with occasional battles with Root.
Uncle, I was surprised at how quickly "Revolution" was given a full season. The scary part? They could have announced that it was cancelled and I would have had the same reaction. That can't be a good sign.
ReplyDeleteAlrighty then, having read several unkind reviews of "Hunted", I thought a little balance was called for.
ReplyDeleteHaving now watched it myself, I will say that I would gladly take 22 episodes of a show like this. It's beautifully shot, very movie-like in that regard. It definitely has that BBC Drama quality to it.
I thought it was fun watching Sam go about her spy craft, renovating her 'safe house' apartment, kicking some ass.
Why some folks are bent out of shape about the pilot escapes me. IMO, if "Hunted" was debuting on American network TV. it would make much of the competition look pretty lame by comparison.
Confession- I haven't seen Homeland yet, so I guess I'll pick it up.
ReplyDeleteNot liking Hunted yet. Too much of a downer. I have learned that I like the good guy to get the bad guy and have a little fun in the process. Unless it is Bourne. I also like there to be a definable resolution -- get the bad guy without it dragging on too long. And did I mention a little humor?
I'm also having less tolerance for giving the bad guys ANY slack. Kill em; kill em quick and have some cool fun. Then move on to the next bad guy. Heaven knows we've got enough of them that we don't have too much time to waste on any one of them.
Uncle, sounds like "Strike Back" (Cinemax) would be more to your liking. Bad guys die early, often and with extreme prejudice. Much more "adult" content, though, especially beginning in S2. Pretty exhilarating, though, and just renewed for another season.
ReplyDeleteNew "Skyfall" trailer featuring Adele's theme song. Like the way 007 sticks the landing near the end (and then straightens his cuffs).
ReplyDeleteKen Olin reunites with Bad Robot to deliver an "undercover cop" show to the CW. This is JJ's 2nd new cop show announcement in recent days (the other involving robocops).
ReplyDeleteOn the surface, "Electropolis" sounds like a steaming pile of boring, but maybe there's more to it than the article gives away.
In other (possibly more interesting news) Bad Robot news, one half of the "Lost" writing team (Carlton Cuse), is involved in bringing yet another comic book story to TV.
ReplyDelete"The Sixth Gun" sounds better than Cuse's other project, "Bates Motel", which is a prequel to the movie (yawn!).
For "Doctor Who" fans who watched Amy and Rory's final episode, the BBC has a little something for you (complete with big, sweeping music, perhaps to make up for lack of actual actors).
ReplyDeleteWhile this is very nice and all, I still cannot get my head around what's to prevent The Doctor from going back in time and returning the Ponds to the present day. I reckon it's just one of those things.
Arvin Sloane elected Mayor of Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteWell, not really, but Ron Rifkin will play L.A. Mayor Fletcher Bowron in TNT's upcoming "L.A. Noir".
"L.A. Noir" is a series from Frank Darabont of "The Walking Dead" fame and also stars Shane and Dale, recently gruesomely dispatched from TWD.
Apparently, the order is for 6 episodes for now.
Right off the bat, this series has 2 strikes against it, IMO. It is a cops vs. organized crime show (zzzzzzzzz) and it's a period piece. Ouch and double ouch. Great cast, though, and hey, it should be better than VG's new show.
Seems "Nikita" kicked off S3 with only 50% of the viewers who eyeballed the S2 opener (apparently a series low). That's gotta hurt.
ReplyDeleteCouple that with the standalone strategy (because that's a sure fire winner) that Nikki is rolling with this year and the road ahead would appear to be rocky.
Cinemax is providing unfettered access to the "Hunted" pilot on the show's website.
ReplyDeletePage,
ReplyDeleteI really hope this doesn't spell the end of Nikita. But what do you do to top last season, unless you bring back the old villans?
"Iron Man 3" trailer is out and about. Of course the movie is still a long way off.
ReplyDeleteOne of the bad guys is dude from "Rubicon".
Hmmm, what I wouldn't do for some more "Rubicon" right about now! What was AMC thinking?
Good news for "Chuck" fans and fans of post-apocalypse shows (aren't all new shows post-apocalypse nowadays?).
ReplyDeleteAdam Baldwin has signed on, along with the lovely and talented and lovely Rhona Mitra, for "The Last Ship", based on the novel of the same name.
Hopefully this will rescue our "John Casey" from the hell that is "Law & Order: SVU", where he currently resides.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand AMC's decision on Rubicon.
Wow, I think I just saw a tumbleweed roll through LTA.
ReplyDeleteNot only has Jen turned her back on TV (except for talk shows and commercials) and hasn't appeared in a movie worth making in decades, but now we find out that she prevented her hubby from directing the pilot of "Homeland", an actual successful project, unlike whatever movie Jen was working on at the time that required Ben to stay home and babysit.
Page,
ReplyDeleteTumbleweeds- you nailed it:)!!
I'm having trouble keeping up with TV. Did you see the latest Last Resort? Wow! I have bailed on Revolution. Still undecided on Hunted. Really liking Arrow. And then there are the regulars.
Well, thank you Blogger for deleting my comment #34, which, this time, didn't even contain any links. If you knew how long that took me to type on my tablet at the coffee shop!!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it was only to say that I have been watching "Arrow" every week, and it's exceeding my expectations, which, admittedly, weren't that high. However, it's actually pretty good.
Apparently, a decision on the future of "Last Resort" will be made in the next week or so.
Uncle, speaking of 'the regulars', BN is back on November 8 with a two-hour show.
ReplyDeleteSarah "Jenny" Shahi has a guest arc coming up on "Chicago Fire", although she'll have to get through it without me, since I don't do fireman shows. Make it alien undercover firemen, and I'm in.
Updates from USA Network:
ReplyDeleteApparently, "Fairly Legal" is toast after 2 seasons, which might explain why Sarah Shahi is popping up elsewhere.
The much-improved "Covert Affairs" will be back for a 16 eppie fourth season.
And, last but not least, "Burn Notice" is returning for a 13 episode (5 fewer than current season) seventh season. Is this the classic shortened final season?
I was thinking maybe it was just me, but then I read this article on io9.com about POI trying to ramp up the comedy in the last 2 episodes.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the author on this one. Don't go overboard on the silly stuff.
Keri Russell's "The Americans" getting some TV promo action.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, the 80's. I don't miss them at all.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI'm here. Just don't have anything to contribute right now.
So far this week I have seen Marshall on a 3rd season episode of Frasier, and Francie on a 1998 episode of Seinfeld.
ReplyDeleteUncle, Marshall and Francie should have it so good today.
ReplyDeleteI watched "Total Recall" last night. Thoroughly trashed by the viewers on IMDB (with a miserable 6.3 rating), but I thought it was just a roller coaster of fun, with kick-ass operatives doing their thing and the gorgeousness of Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale.
howdy all
ReplyDeletewww.cheapdvdhut.com
"Last Resort" goes Boom!
ReplyDeletePage,
ReplyDeleteAt least I'm 2 episodes behind on LR. I have a little left to enjoy. I thought it was going well, but I really didn't know how long they could stretch it out.
As Christmas approaches, signaled as always by weeks and weeks of reruns and "specials" which should be starting any day now, there is always the "Doctor Who" Christmas episode to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteHere, we have a mini prequel released by the Beeb, as well as a trailer for the actual episode.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI'm always ready for a Dr. Who Christmas episode. I don't think I've seen any episode since last year's Christmas one.
Uncle, then it would only take you 5 episodes to get completely caught up.
ReplyDeleteThis hasn't been the Doctor's finest season, what with Moffat foregoing the serial arc for reasons known only to him.
Of course, the Christmas shows are basically all standalones anyway, which I think is as it should be. For one thing, it makes it much easier for a station to have an all day DW marathon of Christmas eppies, as usually happens in my neck o' the woods.
"all day DW marathon of Christmas eppies" -- Oh, that sounds like fun!!
ReplyDeleteThis week's "Covert Affairs".
ReplyDeleteEnd of eppie...Annie...cell phone strapped to bench...it rings....Annie answers..."Hello", in almost the exact same voice that Sydney answered with 11 years ago in TBT (you know, the voice that says "what am I getting myself into by answering this cell phone that has just now come into my possession?").
I loved it. I'd like to think the similarity was intentional.
Page,
ReplyDeleteCA has taken a great leap forward since the Human Target writer joined the team! I'm loving it now.
Ditto, Uncle.
ReplyDeleteI think getting rid of Annie's sis and her family was a good move. That isn't where the focus should be. Swapping her out, and bringing Eyal in on almost a regular basis is much better use of personnel.
Annie was more of a do-gooder in the first couple of seasons, working on those cases of the week. Now, she's in it up to her eyeballs, going rogue, defying Joan's orders, getting her hands dirty. And, she's developed a harder edge, a more pissed off and jaded attitude. She's not the new girl anymore.
This is a much needed and much appreciated change of direction for a show I used to refer to as "Bland Affairs". I just have to wonder what took so long.
I find myself pretty much in total agreement with this article about "Covert Affairs".
ReplyDeleteIn particular, this line sums up Season 3: "The peculiar thing is, the unhappier Annie becomes, the stronger the show gets."
Did they say the next season of CA is next SUMMER?!!!!
ReplyDeleteUncle, S4 of CA is confirmed for next summer. Another 16 eppie season. These short seasons make for lonnnngggg waits in between.
ReplyDeleteWhether it kicks off in June or July is yet to be determined, although 2 of the 3 so far have started in July.
Not normally a huge fan of aliens in my more serious sci-fi shows, I will nevertheless be sure to check in on Syfy's upcoming "Defiance" when it debuts next April.
ReplyDeleteFor me, aliens aren't a deal breaker, it's just that I would rather take delivery of my sci-fi in a show like SGU, where aliens do exist but are not a main thrust of the show.
That said, "Defiance" looks like an ambitious project, and with some BSG personnel working behind the scenes, is said to offer a similar vibe.
defiance.com has plenty of video and concept art to check out. W13 viewers will note the first face that greets us on the website (at least today) is that of H.G. Wells, although she is not instantly recognizable in costume. Also in the pilot is Darla from BtVS and "Angel" fame.
"Arrow" soon to do battle with Julian Sark and Lincoln Lee.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Oliver Queen's enemies all seem to be one-offs, at least so far, but hey, things can change...someday..maybe.
Frank Spotnitz talks about how Season 2 of "Hunted" will be a somewhat different show next year, now that the BBC will no longer be involved in a co-production relationship with Cinemax.
ReplyDeleteAside from Melissa George, it's unclear if any of the other cast members will be back.
Recognize the young girl from this trailer for next year's "The Host"?
ReplyDeleteSure you do. She was "Hanna"
"The Host" looks decent, but I'm a little concerned that it comes from Stephenie Meyer, who is responsible for foisting "The Twilight Saga" (and its offspring) on us.
Well, we finished Christmas day and have been playing with the Kindle Fire's we gave each other. I am really beat after 3 back to back 80 hour weeks at work, and I ate way too much food today!
ReplyDeleteThe next few days will be filled with Christmas movies I didn't have time to watch this month.
Page- is there a new Dr. Who Christmas episode this year? I rewatched a couple of the previous ones this week.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Mine always seem to be a long time coming and then it is suddenly over. But, I'll find a way to make it last a little longer.
Uncle, I seemed to have a bit of the flu last night so I was tucked in bed before "Doctor Who" came on. However, I did watch it online this a.m.
ReplyDeleteHere's a little something for "Alias" fans. Vaughn and Director Kendall teaming up in an "end of the world mini-series event" called "Ring of Fire". When will it air?? Don't have a clue.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better. It seems like a month or two since I made my post-Christmas entry, and I haven't gotten around to looking fot the Dr. Who Christmas episode.
Uncle, I just had a 36 hour flu (I remember fondly the days of the 24 flu), but I was back on my feet by Boxing Day.
ReplyDeleteJust watched the series finale of "Merlin" the other night. Good series, family oriented but still enjoyable viewing for 5 seasons (if we imagine for a moment that 13 episodes is a season).
I thought I would change my avatar for a one-off salute to Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, et al.
In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name... Merlin
I'm reluctant to post anything here anymore because the echo just plain hurts my ears, but this is too good to pass up.
ReplyDeleteWill Tippin's Jenny is joining "Person of Interest" for a S2 arc with possibilities of carrying over to S3.
Beginning on Feb. 21, Sarah Shahi will play a “fearless, sexy operative in a secret paramilitary organization that tracks and eliminates terrorists before they can act.”
SS becomes the 2nd "Alias" chick to climb on board POI's 2nd season, although who knows what became of Amy Acker's arc.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI just saw that today. Can't wait to see it.
I've been catching up on Dr. Who with my Kindle Fire. Good series.
And as far as ebooks, if you can't look at the screen for some reason the Fire will read them to you in a reasonably tolerable voice.
Uncle, I've developed some bad reading habits over the years (my focus drifts almost immediately, I skim over a lot of text, etc...) so the software that reads stuff back to me is a minor miracle. It's not the same as reading something yourself, but to the software's credit, it reads every word in every line. In other words, software has the discipline that I lack.
ReplyDeleteMy preference for books is audio. IMO, a good voice reading a good book is hard to beat.
This is very OT, but felt our Bradley Cooper deserved a nod for his very first Academy Award nomination (Best Actor). Oh how far you've come, Will. :)
ReplyDeleteSRM, I think I've seen 2 of BC's movies ("Limitless" and "The A-Team").
ReplyDeleteStill, I have to commend him for having more career ambition than our favourite Neutrogena girl.
Ditto to SRM and Page.
ReplyDeletePage- it has been a long time since I have done any pleasure reading and I'm trying to correct that. (I think the computer is part of the reason. If it is longer than 3 sentences I'm off to something else.) I started by reading some Man From UNCLE comics I hadn't seen when I was a kid, a couple of Man From UNCLE novels a friend of mine wrote, and now I am reading (n my new Kindle)some John Carter of Mars novels I read in 9th grade.
I gave Victor Garber's new show ("Deception") about 10 minutes the other night, not because I was in any way interested in following the show, but simply out of "Alias" love and a longing for those crazy days gone by. Good luck VG, you'll have to do it without me, but then you knew that when you signed up, didn't you?
ReplyDeleteThe total dearth of decent TV viewing options during the Christmas season led me to give Syfy's "Haven" a tryout. I started from the beginning and I'm currently half way through S2.
Loosely based on a Stephen King book, "Haven" is an easy-watching sci-fi mystery. The supernatural aspect is mostly over-the-top, but the personal story arc is pretty compelling, IMO, and it has enough twists to make things interesting.
Factor in the smoking hotness of the lead actress, Emily Rose (think "Jericho") and I have no doubt I will soon get caught up on all 3 seasons and be ready for S4 when it airs next fall.
Spotted at The Golden Globes tonight (so far):
ReplyDeleteJack Bristow
Sydney Bristow
Will Tippin
McKenas Cole
and Bond....James Bond
I think we have ourselves a situation here.
Page,
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting....and potentially dangerous:)
I'm watching Dr. Who on my Kindle Fire and I just finished season 5 for the first time. What a show!
Uncle, S5 of DW is brilliant television, IMO. I loved Matt Smith in his first year as The Doctor and the season arc with the crack in Amelia's bedroom wall built to an awesome 2-part season finale with "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang". IMO, this is DW at its best.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I don't feel that S6 lived up to that standard and now S7, for reasons known only to Steven Moffat, is a string of standalone episodes. WTF Steven?
However, I think there may be some hope, as this year's Christmas show harkened back to eppie 7.1 and with any luck the back half of S7 may have more of an arc.
The modern version of DW has some incredible scenes. Among my faves are this one from "Doomsday", where Rose Tyler is trapped in the alternate universe with no way to return, and then, of course, their goodbye scene.
S5 is darned hard to beat, though, with gems like this from "The Big Bang", not to mention The Doctor saying goodbye to the young Amelia ("live well, love Rory...bye-bye Pond") and then disappearing from history only to have Amy remember him back into existence at her wedding, thanks to those thoughts he planted in her head years earlier at her bedside. Amazing how such a far-fetched show can create such powerful scenes.
As you say, "what a show". I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Know who's hot these days?
ReplyDeleteHow about Scala and Kolacny Brothers?
Remember them providing the great music in "Covert Affairs" when Annie and Simon were shot?
They were also featured in this trailer for S2 of "Homeland".
And, now you can hear them in the trailer for "Zero Dark Thirty".
Indeed, my husband and I jumped on the DW bandwagon about a year ago (thanks to Netflix) and have never looked back. I adore David Tennant as The Doctor (and really Christopher Eccleston doesn't get the credit he deserves as Nine), but Matt Smith has done an excellent job bringing his own flare to the role and I give him huge credit for successfully filling such enormous shoes. This video of Matt's first day makes it even clearer how nerve wracking that must have been for him, and how impressive his first scene really was.
ReplyDeleteLike Page I'm hopeful of a larger arc with the intrigue left from The Snowmen. Glad to hear you're all enjoying it as well. :)
SRM, when I first saw a photo of Matt Smith after the news that he had been cast as Eleven, I couldn't picture that guy being The Doctor. Now I have trouble picturing anyone else.
ReplyDeleteI want to talk more about Who, but am doing this now:
ReplyDeleteTonight at 8:00 CT, 9:00 ET, Wes Britton talks TV spies on
Barbara Barnett's "Let's Talk TV" on BlogTalkRadio. You can call in yourself and join the conversation! Details:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/barbara-barnett/2013/01/15/lets-talk-tv-special-tv-spies-w-guest-wes-britton
Uncle, that sounds interesting. Hopefully it will be available for download later cuz I don't think I will catch it live.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of The Doctor (more specifically, the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant), I hope to watch the first installment of BBC's "Spies of Warsaw" in the next day or two. Not a huge fan of period pieces, but we'll see how it goes.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI found out that the interview is available for listening at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/barbara-barnett/2013/01/15/lets-talk-tv-special-tv-spies-w-guest-wes-britton
Thanks, Uncle, I listened to it at work this afternoon (with apologies to my boss implied, of course).
ReplyDeleteFormer "Alias" writer, Jesse Alexander has written a pilot for a remake of Roger Moore's "The Saint", which will star Eliza Dushku ("Dollhouse"/BtVS) and Adam Rayner (Sam Hunter's BF from "Hunted").
ReplyDeleteWe are living in the days of the remake.
May 22, 2006 - "Alias"
ReplyDeleteMay 23, 2010 - "Lost"
January 18, 2013 - "Fringe"
Third major Bad Robot series finale rolls out tonight. The first 2 were polarizing to say the least. Let's hope this is a good one.
We went to my Mom's birthday party tonight, so I will have to catch it online on Saturday. It'll take a chunk out of my short Saturday workday:)
ReplyDeleteSpoiler-free, this is Nikki Stafford's pre-finale tribute to "Fringe".
ReplyDeleteNicely done, although I'm still not convinced of the merits of that freak-of-the-week format which dominated the first 30 +/- episodes. However, from that point on, I can find little to argue with.
Page,
ReplyDeleteThe fringe finale was a good ending and wrap-up, but I am bummed that it is now ended and that the ending and change in reality was so sudden that we got such a brief view of it.
I guess I'm never pleased by endings.
Uncle, I've come to believe that series finales are very tricky business.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I think "Fringe" did a better job of wrapping up than either "Alias" or "Lost", both of which left many fans screaming at the writers. The overwhelming majority of comments that I've read today suggest that people are satisfied with "Fringe" 5.13 (December's apartment number, BTW).
This isn't to say that everything makes perfect sense now. For instance, I think most people wonder how, in a world without Observer interference, would Peter and Olivia end up meeting in the first place? How would they even exist in the same universe, since Observer interference led to Peter being stolen as a child?
Still, with a show as 'out there' as "Fringe", it's no doubt best to let those issues go and be glad that the characters remained true to themselves in the finale (unlike Irina Derevko), the deaths were good deaths, and the world was saved by the people we wanted to see saving it.
I'm with you in wishing there were more episodes left to show what a different reality would look like. I would also be interested to see how 'the plan' worked in the future, how long it took to come to fruition, and what the lives of Peter, Olivia, Astrid and Broyles were like after Walter and Michael crossed into the future. Were they taken prisoner or did they escape to safety? How could they live day to day knowing they could vanish at any second, yet not having any way to monitor Walter's progress in the future? Plenty of fodder for at least a full 22 episode final season, but we got what we got.
"Fringe" got off to such a slow start, and it's no wonder so many people jumped off the bandwagon during that endless loop of freaks and autopsies that plagued S1, but staying with it, and hoping that having "Alias" personnel involved simply HAD to lead to something good eventually, paid off in the end.
There is, of course, a diehard contingent of fans out there who claim that "Fringe" is the best TV show EVER. While I'm not prepared to go that far, I will say that, from humble beginnings, it became a very good show and (unlike the best show EVER) it went out at the top of its game.
Page,
ReplyDeleteI was one who bailed on the freak of the week Fringe, but came back later and had to catch up on what I missed.
If the plan worked properly, I think Olivia and Peter would have reset to where we see them at the end, and for them none of what they experienced afterwards in the previous timeline would have ever happened, so they would be lacking of that knowledge of those possibilities.
I'm going to miss the characters. They become, too much maybe, people we know and are used to seeing.
Uncle, I echo your sentiment about missing the characters.
ReplyDeleteFive years ago, when it was announced that Anna Torv had landed the role of Olivia, I Googled her to find out who Bad Robot had chosen to be their first post-"Alias" female lead. This lone photo was all I could find. She doesn't even look like Olivia Dunham.
Back in S1, a lot of people were complaining that her acting was "wooden", but, again, I think the problem was simply that S1 was weak overall. After all is said and done, I think Torv was a brilliant choice to play Olivia. She and John Noble displayed great versatility in playing several different versions of their characters.
Torv and Noble are both actors that I hope to see return to TV in GOOD roles in the near future, and why not with Bad Robot? Look how seamlessly Michael Emerson has transitioned from Benjamin Linus to Harold Finch with only a year off in between.
Here's one of my favourite Olivia Dunham photos, from S3. This is the one photo of Olivia that most reminds me of Sydney Bristow.
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ReplyDeleteIt took me a while to warm to Torv, but I did. I thought Noble was great. I hope we see a lot more of both of them.
BTW, Noble reminded me a lot of a nephew of mine, who also happens to be an actor. He's doing theater work and is a paid actor and is very talented. He is currently in the Dallas area and is good enough that he doesn't have to try out for parts now. I found this link from a play he did. He's the one in the red jacket - http://www.stolenshakespeareguild.org/importance_of_being_earnest.html
Uncle, I notice the reviewer gave your nephew the equivalent of two thumbs up, although I confess I had to Google "insouciance".
ReplyDeleteWell, with "Fringe" done and dusted, what's the next genre show on the horizon to take it's place? The one I'm most looking forward to trying out is "Zero Hour", which debuts on Valentine's Day at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.
In minor "Alias" related news, Ron Rifkin will appear in the 2nd season finale of "Touch" and Gina Torres will guest on NBC's upcoming show, "Hannibal", based on the early days of Hannibal Lecter (wake me when that one's over).
Two articles from Entertainment Weekly focusing on "Fringe". A lengthy post mortem of the finale and a shorter review of the series as a whole.
ReplyDeleteTonight I polished off S3 of "Haven". 39 episodes in about a month. Now I can start watching "live" next fall when it resumes.
ReplyDeleteThere has been a lot of hype about Kevin Bacon's "The Following", which debuted earlier tonight on FOX. Personally, I didn't find the premise interesting enough to even try the pilot.
I think the next new series on my list to check out will be "The Americans" on January 30th. Although, that one has 2 strikes against it already: it's set in the 80's and, what, we're supposed to cheer for spies of the "evil empire"?. How's that gonna fly?
Has anyone seen this show?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hulu.com/line-of-duty
Uncle, I considered checking out LOD just because Lennie James was in it, but I haven't gotten to it yet.
ReplyDeleteFormer "Alias" writer/producer John Eisendrath is pitching a new show for NBC called "The Blacklist". Not a ton of detail (like is there a sci-fi element?). Hope he has better luck with that than he did with "My Own Worst Enemy".
This poll and the accompanying comments suggest that most voters consider "Alias" to be little more than an 'also-ran' in Bad Robot's stable of TV series.
ReplyDeleteAre we "Alias" freaks turning into geezers or something?
Here's something that should interest you. Komando recently had a column in her daily newsletter that addressed the issue of a hacking vulnerability in a certain brand of webcam. That brand of webcam can be hacked and whoever hacks it can pick up the video feed from that camera. This means that whatever the camera sees, the hacker can see. Being a fan of the TV series Person Of Interest, I decided to check this out. I Googled that brand and I ended up at a website where they posted links to over 6,000 webcams they had hacked. Most of them were set to view parking lots and other outdoor scenes. Others are focused on the inside of shops, offices and factories. Some, however, were showing the inside of people's homes. These were either part of their home security system, or more likely, the camera in their computer or smart TV. Here is a link to one at a kennel where you will see dogs indoors and living in peaceful coexistence. But, think if that webcam in your home were turning the goings on in your home into a reality show for the rest of the world to see. http://cryptogasm.com/webcams/webcam.php?id=36620
ReplyDelete"But, think if that webcam in your home were turning the goings on in your home into a reality show for the rest of the world to see"
ReplyDeleteHa, Uncle, if someone hacked into my webcam, they would quickly move on to the next available link.
That said, I actually spend some of my downtime at work looking at webcams around the globe. They are all of the public, outdoor variety, though. Sweden, for instance, has an excellent assortment of webcams that can keep me amused when things aren't too busy at the office.
I'm not sure what the fascination is, but there's just something novel about being able to drop in on a Russian street corner to see what's going on when you've got a few minutes to kill.
Uncle, speaking of POI, we recently mentioned that Sarah Shahi will soon be showing up in a recurring role.
ReplyDeleteNow, we have this recent Tweet from Mia Maestro. Seems the machine is about to spit out Nadia's number.
Bad Robot keeping his girls on speed dial. That's 3 "Alias" chicks (so far) in S2 of POI. Who's next?
Give us Sydney Bristow!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. If you think someone is listening in on your phone conversations you may not be paranoid. I've heard from several sources, and even Kim Komando, that the only way to keep people from using your cell phone to track you, and even using it as a listening device and the camera to watch you covertly, is to remove the battery. Just turning your phone off doesn't protect you. We are becoming a Person Of Interest world. http://www.ehow.com/about_6524594_can-phone-tapped-turned-off_.html
ReplyDeleteI operate under the assumption that every cell conversation I have is not only heard, but heard by someone I know using a scanner.
ReplyDeletePage,
ReplyDeleteMy real problem is with the fact they can hear and see you via your phone, even when it's turned off!
Uncle, the genie is out of the bottle when it comes to privacy. Can you imagine what OnStar could be used for without your knowledge?
ReplyDeleteAre we all going to have to start wearing "privacy visors" to go to the grocery store undetected?
Are we all going to have to drive 20 year old cars pretty soon to avoid mandatory black boxes?
Do we really want drones in the hands of police departments? We'll all have to live in houses without windows.
"The Last Enemy" is a nice glimpse into the near future, especially for city-dwellers.
POI is coming to get us (minus the good guys looking out for our best interests, of course)
The pilot for "Zero Hour" is available online for anyone without the patience to wait for it to debut on TV.
ReplyDeleteSeems like everyone from "Alias" is willing to do TV these days except Jen (and, of course, BC, who has an actual hit-and-miss movie career).
ReplyDelete'Julian Sark' is the baddie on "Arrow" next week.
I watched the "Zero Hour" pilot. It wasn't bad. It covered a lot of ground in the opening 42 minutes, making it seem like a 2 hour premiere would not have gone amiss.
ReplyDeleteSome questionable dialogue along the way, but could shape up to be a good adventure. It has a definite "National Treasure" vibe to it. Good news is, it looks to have no choice but to be a serial.
Jen's "Odd Life of Timothy Green" reaches TIME's Top Ten......... worst movies of 2012.
ReplyDeleteJen, seriously, what are you doing?
I hate everything about football, so after this, I promise never to mention it again. Today is Super Bowl "47". There, that's it.
ReplyDeleteI like to think that the soundtrack for Season 13 of "Alias" would feature something from this chick.
ReplyDeleteWhew!
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ReplyDeleteI didn't know this was SB 47, which shows how little I follow football. With the exception of softball when I was in grade school, and volley ball when I worked for a crisis hotline, all of the sports I have played have been individual event sports- racket ball, martial arts, fencing.
I just watched Zero Hour. You can certainly see Rambaldi themes in this show -- The Twelve, the coming Flood, etc.
ReplyDeleteUncle, I had a few issues with the ZH pilot, but hopefully they can be chalked up to growing pains, cuz I'm ready for a mystery/conspiracy mess like this has the potential to be.
ReplyDeleteThis is Sark's night on "Arrow"...and he's already killed a guy.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "Arrow", more Felicity Smoak please.
Jennifer Garner to make her triumphant and long overdue return to TV.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's a start.
Psst, just published a new post, check it out. :)
ReplyDelete