Category Archives: Television

Extended look at Fox’s origin story ‘Gotham’

Television, Video, ,

Here’s your first intensive look at the fall’s most anticipated new drama, Gotham. Warner Bros. and Fox have released a 20-minute behind-the-scenes look at the massive origin story revolving around Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie). Creator Bruno Heller (The Mentalist) has DC Comics heroes and villains at his disposal and from the get-go viewers will be drawn into gritty, violent world filled with the likes of a young Bruce Wayne (aka Batman), Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Oswald Cobblepot (Penguin), Edward Nygma (The Riddler), and Ivy Pepper (Poison Ivy). The ensemble cast also includes Sean Pertwee as Wayne’s butler and confidant Alfred Pennyworth, Donal Logue as Gordon’s parter Harvey Bullock, and Jada Pinkett Smith plays an original villain envisioned specifically for the series, Fish Mooney.

You’ll hear from Heller, McKenzie, and most of the cast, as well as other creatives involved in the making of the series. It’s a fascinating look at how the world of Gotham has been remade for the small screen. If you haven’t been counting down the days until Gotham‘s September 22 premiere, consider this the tipping point.

Hannah rides a bike in brief tease at ‘Girls’ season 4

Television, Video, , , ,

There’s not much here, but for fans of HBO’s Girls anything is something. Star Lena Dunham rides a bike clumsily in this season 4 tease. When we last saw Hannah Horvath she decided to ditch NYC to participate in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Might this be her failed attempt to make it to class? Hannah’s story continues when Girls returns to HBO early next year.

Yahoo teases ‘Community’ season 6 in packed (retrospective) trailer

Television, Video, , ,

Warning: the following trailer does not contain new footage. Production on the holy sixth season of Dan Harmon’s Community begins later this fall. The trailer does pack juicy morsels of goodness from every season NBC aired up to this point, though. There’s funny stuff throughout, but the best gag has to be when the trailer pretty much disregards the existence of the Harmon-less season 4. Enjoy, and get ready for Community “better than it was before. Better. Stronger. Faster.”

‘Phineas and Ferb’ to air ‘LOST’ inspired episode written by Damon Lindelof with guest star Terry O’Quinn

Image cache, News, Television, , , ,

After conquering Marvel’s superheroes and Star Wars, Disney’s hit cartoon Phineas and Ferb is about to get Lost. In an upcoming installment “Lost in Danville” set to air Monday, September 29 at 7:30pm (ET) on Disney XD, the tinkering boys will find themselves in a mysterious episode written by Lost showrunner Damon Lindelof.

A mysterious locked capsule falls into Phineas and Ferb’s back yard and they struggle to open it, only to discover they have unleashed something they cannot control. Meanwhile, Perry learns that Dr. Doofenshmirtz has been abducted and tracks him to Seattle where another evil scientist, Professor Mystery, has his own sinister plan.

A locked capsule? A polar bear pictured in the still above? Perhaps the elusive Dharma Initiative and the sinister Smoke Monster will play pivotal roles here. Guest voices includes Lost‘s very own Terry O’Quinn (John Locke) as Professor Mystery and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) and Rob Morrow (Numbers) play capsule inhabitants Denise and Bernie (perhaps Danville’s very own Bernard and Rose?–just a theory!).

The ABC drama premiered on 9/22 back in 2004; celebrate 10 years of Lost by watching this specially themed P&F episode that is bound to be filled with easter eggs galore.

Renewals: AMC’s ‘Halt And Catch Fire’, FX’s ‘The Strain’ & Showtime’s ‘Masters of Sex’

News, Television, , , , , , ,

Let’s start with the unexpected. AMC has gone ahead and renewed freshman series Halt And Catch Fire for a second season. Despite middling ratings and buzz, the 80s period drama about the PC Revolution will return next year. Star Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) provided the initial draw and after a slow build the show became fun summer fare with its knack for capturing the exciting, experimental era it’s set in. From the technological jargon to the music, HCF eventually found its creative streak and has me yearning to see more in a second season. Props to Pace’s costars Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, and Kerry Bishé for their emotionally grounded performances that made it easy to get invested.

“This is a show about invention, experimentation and the inherent risks in trying to break new ground — themes that really resonate with us as a network and attracted a passionate audience,” said AMC president Charlie Collier. “We have a history of demonstrating patience through the early seasons of new shows, betting on talent and building audience over time. We see that opportunity here and look forward to a second season of Halt and Catch Fire from creators Chris Cantwell and Chris Rogers, and showrunner Jonathan Lisco.”

Elsewhere, FX renewed Guillermo del Toro and Carlton Cuse’s vampire horror fest The Strain and Showtime is bringing back Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan for a third season. No surprise here, really. Though I’m not the loudest Strain supporter (I have issues with the writing and acting) it’s the type of summer fare that just makes sense. As for Masters of Sex, this is the show that just keeps on giving. This season’s bottle episode “Fight” might be the series best thus far featuring phenomenal performances by stars Martin Sheen and Lizzy Caplan.

“We’ve never had any doubts about The Strain,” said FX Networks head John Landgraf. “It is thrilling when you have a show that is a creative and commercial hit, which is a rare accomplishment in this increasingly crowded marketplace. We look forward having it on FX for as long as Carlton, Guillermo and Chuck Hogan need to tell this epic tale.” Added del Toro: “I am thrilled! Another season to spread the virus! Working with Carlton, Chuck and FX has been immensely rewarding and we have such sights to unveil in the upcoming episodes — the blood hits the fan on this one, mankind becomes an endangered species.” Added Cuse: “I am grateful for all the blood, sweat and tears (but mostly blood) given to the project by all involved, and I could not be more excited to continue telling this epic story.”

“Both Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex are quintessentially Showtime: bold, provocative, premium television with production values at the top of the food chain,” said Showtime president David Nevins. “These acclaimed shows are filled with complex and interesting characters and settings that will no doubt give audiences compelling television to invest in for seasons to come.”

COSMOS: my thoughts

[experience-it-all], Television, ,

Completed Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Thank you to host Neil deGrasse Tyson, composer Alan Silvestri, executive producer Seth MacFarlane, executive producer, writer, and director Ann Druyan, and of course the late, great Carl Sagan. Cosmos is a true masterpiece of knowledge and wonder. Spectacular, from top to bottom: live, on-location shoots; cinema-level CG animation; stylized traditional animation; an inspiring host in Dr. Tyson, who makes all of the science exciting and easily digestible; and a magical score imagined by Silvestri. Traveling through space and time on the modernized Ship of the Imagination across the past, present, and future is a wildly entertaining, visually breathtaking, and wholly educational experience. Personally I’ve always been fascinated by science; Cosmos has opened my eyes even wider to the enormous spectrum of knowledge out there today and the knowledge waiting to be discovered. How exactly does dark matter and dark energy work? Will alien life ever discover our Voyager spacecraft? What happened before the Big Bang? What lies beyond the Observable Universe? Equally as important, Cosmos reaches out and grips you about the concerning realities about how we are treating our planet and it envisions very different futures for us depending on the vital actions we take next. A “Cosmic Calendar,” introduced in the first episode of the 13-part series, visualizes and condenses our universe’s 13.8 billion year lifespan into a single, glanceable year; it might make you feel tiny in our vast universe (humanity occupies the last day in the last second of the entire calendar) but it provides such amazing insight into our existence, where we come from, and where we may be heading next. In sum, I highly recommend you carve out time in your lives to take an exciting journey into spacetime; it’s unlike anything else you’ve seen on TV before and you’ll come out of it awestruck, inspired, and most of all, with an expanded mind and a new passion to question everything around you.

Jimmy Fallon parodies ‘House of Cards’

Hilarity, Television, Video, , ,

Jimmy Fallon’s latest parody takes on Netflix Original Series House of Cards. Though it falls short when stacked against previous parodies (see: Game of Desks, Joking Bad, and Lost parody Late), Jimmy does a fine impersonation of Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood and the two parts are sprinkled with funny nods to the show for fans to enjoy. Take a look; House of Cue Cards part one is embedded above, and part two is after the break. Continue reading Jimmy Fallon parodies ‘House of Cards’ →

HBO renews ‘The Leftovers’ for a second season

News, Television, , , ,

“Who knew one could feel so ecstatic about such a depressing show!” I tweeted upon hearing the news of renewal. HBO’s The Leftovers, from Lost’s Damon Lindelof and Leftovers author Tom Perrotta, continues to depress and infuriate its viewers with gory, out of left field violence (read: the shocking death-by-stoning of GR member Gladys) and mystery perpetually left unresolved (Perrotta’s book never explains what happened to The Departed; will the show?). So far in its first season the series has managed to captivate with its unapologetic dreary outlook. It’s proven it can tell interesting character studies by using full episodes to further flesh out backstories (see: Rev. Matt Jamison and Nora Durst’s tales of faith and discovery). And then there’s our protagonist, the flawed, enigmatic Kevin Garvey, Jr. played expertly by Justin Theroux whose life eloquently weaves in and out of dreams always living on the edge of sanity. Garvey is the glue whose actions have repercussions not only on his depressing town but also on the main mystery that lights a fire under the series: where did everyone go and why? Whether or not Holy Wayne’s army of pregnant Asian women hold the key to “bridging” the gap between The Leftovers and The Departed, it’s too much fun despising the chain-smoking, white-clad Guilty Remnant and picking out the Lost-like clues Lindelof is leaving along the way. With just three episodes left this season, we are on the precipice of finding out if this show truly contains any answers or if it will continue to force viewers to journey into a bleak and hopeless unknown that is, at the same time, a supremely hypnotic and tantalizing place to be.

“We are thrilled to bring back The Leftovers for a second season with the exceptional talents of Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta,” HBO programming head Michael Lombardo said in a statement today. “It has been truly exciting to see the overwhelming response to their provocative and original storytelling. We look forward to continuing the journey as the show delves deeper into the lives of those who remain.”

The Leftovers airs Sunday nights at 10PM on HBO.

Mini teaser: AMC’s ‘Better Call Saul’

Television, Video, , ,

Here’s your very first look at Bob Odenkirk as lawyer Jimmy McGill, the protagonist of Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s Breaking Bad spinoff/prequel series. As we already know, Better Call Saul takes place six years before the Saul meets Walter White; it will take time before McGill transforms into criminal lawyer “Saul Goodman” audiences have come to know and love. This is the teasiest of teasers clocking in at a mere 10 seconds, but the clip does just enough to remind viewers of Odenkirk’s magic plus we get premiere timeframe: February 2015. Let the countdown begin.

Update (8/24): Gilligan & Gould talk Saul in a new teaser embedded after the break. Continue reading Mini teaser: AMC’s ‘Better Call Saul’ →

‘Homeland’ stars discuss upcoming new season

Television, Video, , ,

Homeland stars Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, and Nazanin Boniadi take time during their promotional photoshoot to talk season 4. In addition to a brief glimpse at this season’s shooting location (Cape Town, South Africa will stand in for parts of the Middle East), this new clip does a fine job at teasing the upcoming Brody-less season just as the “First-Look” trailer did before it.

Homeland returns October 5 to Showtime with a two hour premiere.

Comic Con: Extended look at ‘Person of Interest’ season 4

News, Television, Video, , , , ,

At the end of Person of Interest‘s third season, our heroes Reese, Finch, Shaw, and Root were forced into hiding after the sinister John Greer of Decima Technologies turned on a second powerful and all-knowing artificial intelligence-enabled machine known as Samaritan. At Comic Con executive producers Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman, along with cast members Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Kevin Chapman, Sarah Shahi, and Amy Acker, screened an extended clip (embedded after the break) featuring mostly new footage from the upcoming season that sheds a good amount of light on what’s coming next. Samaritan is hunting down the remaining members of Team Machine…The Machine continues to spit out numbers and while Reese is eager to continue their work, Finch knows their resources are severely limited…The Machine has helped Reese go undercover in law enforcement while ladies Shaw and Root now work at a posh department store (the panel’s crowd erupted in laughter at the sight of Shaw working her new job)…also, quick glimpses of Elias and Control hint at their return.

When asked what the theme of the new season will be Plageman answered “war.” It’s a battle between two AIs and our heroes are stuck in the middle with limited resources and no sanctuary (The Library was destroyed, remember?). It is key to note that Detective Fusco is not being flagged by Samaritan, and Plageman says this will allow for fun creative liberties. Also, Nolan briefly hinted that the two AIs might be upgraded with a voice some time in the future, but at the same time Plageman assured fans that they “always want to keep the technology grounded.”

Person of Interest returns Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 10PM on CBS. Continue reading Comic Con: Extended look at ‘Person of Interest’ season 4 →

Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ season 5 trailer will blow you (and your brains) away

Image cache, Television, Video, , , , , , ,

The Walking Dead knows how to cut trailer. Once again they’ve managed to top themselves with a brilliant season 5 trailer that only teeters on major reveals and still gets the job done. This pretty much confirms Rick and the gang will get out of Train Car A and face the Termites of Terminus. Gareth, their leader, appears to be a reasonable man here as he allows Rick and co. to leave his horror house and find a cure for the zombie apocalypse in Washington, D.C. That’s right–road trip! “When we get to Washington, we will make the dead die and the living will have this world again,” snarls Abraham Ford. And who took Beth? A tiny tease at the end reveals her imprisonment at some sort of psych ward (?); wherever she is she appears to be more badass than ever and ready for escape.

What looks to be the most ambitious season of The Walking Dead yet premieres Sunday, October 12 at 9PM on AMC. Skip after the break to view new key art made specifically for Comic Con. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘The Walking Dead’ season 5 trailer will blow you (and your brains) away →