"Lost" Writers Bringing Jack Ryan To the Small Screen

I admit that "Lost" honcho Carlton Cuse and producer Michael Bay bringing Jack Ryan to the small screen makes me a tad apprehensive. The good news is that veteran Marine Graham Roland is also on the scene for this new project for Amazon. In addition to "Lost," Roland has also written/produced for "Fringe," "The Returned," and "Almost Human," that cancelled-too-soon gem starring Michael Ealy, Karl Urban, and Lili Taylor.

The new series won't follow the books exactly, either, providing a "contemporary" take on the character. This sounds suspiciously like a case of drawing viewers in with an established product but basically giving them an entirely new show with a few characters that have the same names.

Though Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine have all portrayed Jack Ryan on the big screen, Harrison Ford is always the guy I think of when you mention the character. Specifically "Clear and Present Danger," which is chock full of good actors, including an uber blond Willem Dafoe and sexy Joaquim de Almeida. Amazon's going to have to make good casting choices to get me on board.

What do you all think? Will you tune in for the latest incarnation of Jack Ryan?

Total Bummer: Cancelled and Soon-To-Be-Cancelled TV Series That We Were Totally Watching, Dude!

Please don't make me give up seeing this pretty face every week... *SOB*

Each TV season starts with viewers trying to watch everything, revisiting old faves and checking out new potential faves. As the season progresses, you lose track of some shows, forget to watch others, totally bail on the worst, and fall madly in love with both good series and guilty pleasures. Then suddenly the networks pull the rug out and cancel a show, and you're like, "DUDE!!! I WAS TOTALLY WATCHING THAT! AUGH!!"

It's that time of year when catastrophes both large and small have already happened, and there's more bad news on the way as your favorite stations decide once and for all what's going to make it to next season. Here are some of the already trash-canned, and still-in-the-air-likely-to-go-in-the-waste-bin shows we're completely bummed about:

"Sean Saves the World": Out of all the new half-hour comedies, and honestly, out of most of the old ones, this was the series I consistently watched and looked forward to. It was a simple, old-school workplace comedy that had amusing situations, funny physical humor, and was just a heck of a lot of fun. Sean Hayes was simultaneously adorable and hilarious, Thomas Lennon is an insane comedy genius, and Linda Lavin is just Awesome, let's be real.

NBC bailed on this one back in January. While you can't dismiss the fact that many people still won't tune in to gay-themed shows, the downfall of "Sean Saves the World" may also have been that it didn't suit the current taste for overly dark, raunchy, and/or downright uncomfortable humor.

"Almost Human": I was a skeptic when this human/android buddy cop show first hit the airwaves, but Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, and Lili Taylor totally sold me. A mixture of gritty police drama and sometimes eerie, thought-provoking sci-fi, this series had the potential to get into some quality "Star Trek" territory. With characters you enjoy spending time with, some delicious sex appeal, and goofy bromance moments thrown in, this show had successful cult fave written all over it.

Fox canceled the show at the end of April. The viewership was actually decent for "Almost Human," but like many gone-too-soon series, it fell victim to a network that already had too many new shows in the pipe ready to take its place. Fans have started a petition to get another network to pick it up, you can join the (currently 11,000+) sci-fi lovers in the cause at Change.org.

"Star-Crossed": I'll admit it--I totally ripped on this show when I first watched the pilot. But there was enough there in the plot, and alien boy Roman (Matt Lanter) is so damn pretty, I tuned in again. And I got kinda hooked. The twists, turns, drama and melodrama really ramped up as the series progressed, and the aliens turned out be full of a lot more mystery than we'd even hoped for. It would be a shame if we weren't allowed to both enjoy and mock all the guilty pleasure goodness of human/Atrian relationships/battles for at least another season or two.

This series is still on the bubble, but most prediction sites have "Star-Crossed" getting launched into space, never to return. I know, CW, you already give us fantasy/sci-fi geeks "Supernatural," "Arrow," and vampires galore. But it was kinda nice having a show in that genre that had more romance in it and less freaky gore. Give us some more time with Roman and Juliet, erm...Emery, please!

**Update: "Star-Crossed" is sadly no more. USA Today reports it here.

I regretfully tell u that #Starcrossed will not be back for season 2. Love u all #Stargazers so much. Thanks for ur unwavering support!!
— Matt Lanter (@MattLanter) May 8, 2014

"Intelligence": One of the things you learn when you buy movies for your home collection is that the four-star, Oscar-winning fare is not usually the kind of thing you end up rewatching a million times. It's the stuff that has great action, lovable characters, and is clever enough without tying your brain into knots. "Intelligence," a show about a soldier who gets an awesome chip in his brain that gives him access to ALL the information in our digitally connected world, is one of those gems you enjoy coming back to.

No, it's not Shakespeare, and sometimes there are plot holes you can drive a truck through. But Josh Holloway is his gruffly awesome self, and he has a nice chemistry with "Once Upon a Time" alum Meghan Ory. This one's not canceled yet, but it's looking like it'll likely get axed.

**Update: "Intelligence" did indeed get cut from the schedule.

"Crisis": Rachael Taylor and Lance Gross' characters make for an odd pairing on this hostage crisis show, but somehow it works. While the plot wheels grind a little noisily sometimes, it's an interesting premise, using influential parents to complete dangerous tasks in exchange for getting their kids back alive. Dermot Mulroney is sufficiently creepy as the geeky dad who wants to expose some nasty CIA business, get revenge, and win his daughter back--even if it means there's lots of collateral damage.

We've been DVRing two of these new Sunday night shows, "Resurrection" and "Crisis." We enjoy both, but we always rush to watch "Crisis" first. As is the way of the world, the former looks ready for renewal and the latter ripe for cancellation. The hostage drama may have only been meant for one season, though, and while we wouldn't mind seeing these characters continue on with other crises, it won't be so bad a loss if we at least get a satisfactory conclusion to the story.

**Update: "Crisis" also will not be returning.

What do you all think? Which series are you lamenting the loss of? Which shows do you hope will avoid the cancellation ax?

PHOTO: Matt Lanter as Roman on "Star-Crossed" screencap, 2014, The CW, fair use.

Will 'The Mentalist' Be Cancelled Just as It's Getting Good Again?

Back in Season 5, "The Mentalist" fans were worrying if the show would make it to the Red John reveal before the cancellation ax fell on it. We noted that creator Bruno Heller planned on "two seasons or so" to finish out that Red John plot. The show got that Season 6 renewal, and then the next question was whether the end of Red John would mean the end of the series.

Many viewers had grown tired of the years-long serial killer plot, but the diehards were still watching/waiting for the joy of that Patrick Jane roguish charm and his warm, often comedic bonding with his coworkers and friends. The show did, in fact, reboot itself after the whole Red John saga.

There were some growing pains as the series integrated the former CBI team into the FBI, but it seems to have found its footing now. We're getting back to the procedural style of "The Mentalist" we fell in love with back in Season 1, where Jane's brilliant mind and unconventional methods help solve crimes, to both the appreciation and exasperation of those around him.

Remember when? Relive the early days of all that yummy Lisbon/Jane romantic tension on "The Mentalist."

Now the word is buzzing once again that "The Mentalist" may finally be cancelled. No, for realz this time. Bruno Heller is moving on to work on a "Batman" series for Fox. CBS, who regularly throws away viewed-by-millions shows that other networks would kill for, has already renewed a bunch of dramas, limiting the spots available. We've been here before, but "The Mentalist" is a six-season show that's been in danger for at least two years--eventually those dire predictions are going to be true.

The possible light at the end of the tunnel is that the show could move to another network, like "Medium" and "Law & Order: CI" did successfully in the past. Now that the Simon Baker drama has shed its darker serial plot and returned to its episodic, more whimsical roots, it's an easier show to shop around. After all, 11 million viewers is not to be taken lightly, and there are definitely going to be some cable networks at least who will be interested in trying to nab this one.

What do you think? Is "The Mentalist" worth saving in its rebooted form, or has it run its course? Would you follow it to another network?

**UPDATE: CBS decided to hang on to "The Mentalist" for a while longer...

PHOTO: Screencap from "The Mentalist," Season 6, Episode 17, "Silver Wings of Time," 2014, CBS, fair use.

'Silicon Valley'--Will New Entrepreneurial Comedy Be a Hit for Mike Judge?

Josh Brener and Thomas Middleditch in HBO comedy "Silicon Valley".

Mike Judge is a busy, successful man of many talents and many projects, but he's probably best known for two: Old School MTV icons Beavis and Butthead, and the cult comedy movie classic "Office Space." The latter has to be one of the finest, quirkiest satires on the mind-numbing cubicle corporate culture, and fans have always hoped to see more in that vein from Judge.

The 2009 movie "Extract" missed the mark as an heir to the "Office Space" throne, but now here comes an HBO comedy about nerdy dudes trying to capitalize on the Internet Start-Up boon that took a select few lucky geniuses from garages to millionaire mansions.



It's tough to tell the quality from this brief clip, but the Mike Judge style (and character types) are definitely visible. There's a lot of material to work with when you've got brilliant but naive guys trying to get rich in a cutthroat world, so let's hope Judge mined this universe for all it's worth. You can only rewatch "Office Space" so many hundreds of times, so it'd be great if we could watch some more workplace comedy gold when "Silicon Valley" debuts on HBO on April 6.

PHOTO: 2014 screencap of "Silicon Valley," HBO, fair use.

'Firefly' Star Sean Maher the Next Villain on 'Arrow'!!

As if "Arrow" wasn't awesome enough, now comes word that the prettiest "Firefly" alum (and that's saying something) will be guest-starring on the show. That's right, Sean Maher, aka Doctor Simon "Gorgeous" Tam, will appear as a "bomber who terrorizes Starling City."

[Missed an episode? Catch up with all the "Arrow" highlights here!]

Apparently he'll also be a threat to that pesky new alderman, Sebastian Blood (Kevin Alejandro), the guy I said last week had alter ego written all over him. I also can't help thinking that these two guys visually are going to inspire a lot of slash fanfic. Just sayin'.

 

That makes two "Firefly" alums on "Arrow" this season, with Summer Glau now appearing as Oliver's new business partner Isabel Rochev.

"Arrow" airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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'The Mentalist' Season 6 Spoilers: An Ending or a Reboot?

Fans were nervous during Season 5 of "The Mentalist," as Red John had yet to be revealed, and the show's future remained uncertain. CBS eventually decided to renew it for a 6th season, but it's not yet clear if this will be the end of our favorite show or the start of something completely different.

A wedding for Rigsby and Van Pelt
 
The see-saw relationship between Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) is finally where longtime fans want it to be. Recent news has it that in the midst of a case involving a wedding in Episode 3, the two agents will get the idea to plan some nuptials of their own. "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller calls the eventual wedding the couple's "happy ending," but considering how that whole "killing Red John" thing turned out after the Season 3 finale, fans should be wary.

Additions to the regular cast?
 
The wedding for Rigsby and Van Pelt means the characters will be departing "The Mentalist," whether because of those pesky rules about dating fellow CBI agents or more sinister reasons. Filling the void on the show could be two new characters appearing in Season 6. One is FBI agent Dennis Abbott (Rockmond Dunbar), another of those prickly higher-ups that isn't all that impressed with the quirky methods of Patrick Jane (Simon Baker).

The other will be ex-homicide detective Kim Fischer (Emily Swallow), who's described as "an enigmatic woman who is going to have a profound influence on Jane's life." Showrunner Heller adds that the character will motivate Jane to keep working when he wants to walk away from it all, which sounds ominously like more angst for our favorite consultant.

Can the show move on after Red John?
 
According to CBS, "The Mentalist" will reveal Red John's identity by the end of the year. This does not necessarily mean that they will capture him, however. This could be the best of both worlds for a Season 7 storyline. Fans wouldn't have to put up with the mystery being dragged out, but Red John could remain a threat lurking in the shadows.

Reading through fan comments, it's clear that many are hoping for more of a focus in future episodes on solving individual cases, rather than the constant pursuit of an elusive serial killer. To return to the more whimsical tone of earlier seasons, this year would have to tie up the Red John case with minimal emotional damage to our main characters. If Jane has to suffer more loss of those close to him, it's tough to imagine the character realistically continuing in any enjoyable way for future seasons.

A truly happy ending for Van Pelt and Rigsby is a fine way to close the book on their characters. It's not an insurmountable loss, and Grace, in particular, never seemed cut out to be a CBI agent anyway. With these two characters gone, however, a potential Season 7 could be straying away from the more lighthearted plots many fans are looking for.

The fate of "The Mentalist" characters once again comes down to ratings. Season 6 could be a big-bang series finale or the "game-changing" season that reboots the whole show. What are you hoping for? Are you ready for Jane's journey to come to an end, or are you hoping for more adventures from the CBI team?

'Arrow' Season 2 Promos -- Shirtless Hunks Everywhere

In case you hadn't realized it when watching "Arrow" Season 1, the showrunners know how to tantalize the ladies into sticking with this show. Sure, it's got fun twisty plots and comic book action goodness, but there is also a hell of a lot of hunk on display too.

So, to keep us ladies intrigued for Season 2 of "Arrow", The CW has wisely led with some, erm, artistic offerings that let us see another side of four of the male leads. Particularly that side that shows off their great pecs and abs. I am not going to complain about this one bit.

 

 

Confession time. I have a particular fondness for the scenes where Oliver, aka Arrow, does pull-ups. It's not just his awesome physique, but the fact that he pulls the bar with him on every lift. You can get a look at this incredible feat, and the shirtless body worship cinematography, in this lovingly crafted YT video:

Keanu's line in "The Replacements" seems fitting for "Arrow": "Pain heals, chicks love scars, glory lasts forever."

Want to catch up on Season 1? Check out my "Arrow" recaps.

Season 2 of "Arrow" premieres Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 8/7c on The CW.
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PHOTOS: CW Promotional posters for "Arrow".

'Saturday Night Live' Weekend Update -- Cecily Strong Joins Seth Meyers at the News Desk

Seth Meyers has been manning the 'Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update desk alone for years, ever since the 2009 departure of Amy Poehler. This fall, however, he'll be joined on WU by new cast member Cecily Strong. She's probably best known for her visits to the newsroom as "The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party."

While her rambling, "whatEVER" delivery as the annoying party girl had a few funny moments, it's not a character I need to see again. According to Seth, I thankfully shouldn't have to:

As for The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with, it's prob safe to assume that she died somewhere, mid-conversation.
— Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers) September 15, 2013

With only a year on the show, it's tough to tell if Strong is going to be a good fit for the "Saturday Night Live" Update segments. Tina Fey had "Newswoman" written all over her, but Poehler's quirky collection of onscreen characters made her a less obvious choice that still worked amazingly well. Strong does have comedic talent; my personal favorite of her "SNL" sketches are her stints with Vanessa Bayer as the former porn stars hawking Moet and Chandon (forgive the low-quality vid, NBC likes pulling all of their "SNL" clips for some reason) :


Clearly the Powers That Be at "Saturday Night Live" have a lot of confidence in Strong, as her co-hosting stint may just be a training period for her to go solo when Meyers leaves in February. (The longtime "SNL" writer and Update anchor has a brand new gig at NBC, taking over the "Late Night" spot from Jimmy Fallon.) I personally would love to see Taran Killam take Seth's spot next to Cecily next year; the two could become a weird and wonderful duo that would add a much-needed spark to the currently creatively-struggling show.

What do you think, "SNL" fans? Does Strong seem like a good choice for Weekend Update? The new season of "Saturday Night Live" premieres Saturday night, Sept. 28 at 11:30/10:30c.

You might also enjoy: My "Saturday Night Live" gossip and recaps at Yahoo! omg!


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PHOTO: "Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update with Cecily Strong screencap, NBC, fair use.

'Supernatural' Season 9: Lots of Men of Letters Goodies!

Supernatural still plans on keeping us entertained, even as we head into an astounding 9th season of The CW show. I really loved the introduction of the Men of Letters story, and it looks like we'll be getting a flashback to the 1930s for more on this secret organization.

We'll get introduced to a new Men of Letters character, and Supernatural.tv has the scoop on the entertaining actor who will be playing him.

In case you missed it, the always awesome Felicia Day will be back as Charlie--in the Men of Letters flashback episode. Bonus: The case includes a connection to The Wizard of Oz.

The latest sneak peek video hints at more about the Men of Letters, plus Castiel and the Winchesters' fate, and you can find all the dirt on that in my Yahoo!TV piece: 'Supernatural' Season 9 Sneak Peek: More Men of Letters Secrets, Castiel Hunted, and Bobby's Back 

The Supernatural Season 9 premiere is on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 9/8c on The CW

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~ PHOTO: 2013 Supernatural promo screencap, The CW, fair use.

What Do You Mean, 'Smash' Is Canceled?

 

I confess, I am not a diehard ratings watcher. I find shows I like, and watch them until I lose interest--or more likely, they get canceled. So it was with some surprise that I learned "Smash," once so apparently promising, is set up for the chopping block.

It's not official, yet, but beginning on April 6, NBC will start airing the musical drama on Saturdays at 9/8c. Supposedly the remainder of Season 2 will run in that timeslot, and unless there's some kind of miraculous ratings jump, the season finale will probably be the series finale.

This is especially depressing since "Smash" has made a valiant effort to right some of the wrongs from early in the series, like the disastrous Julia-as-adoptive-mother storyline I lamented last year. I wasn't sure at first about the addition of angry-young-singer-songwriter Jimmy (Jeremy Jordan), but he's been a welcome, passionate presence on the show. He and Karen (Katharine McPhee) also have fantastic musical chemistry.

Watching Ivy (Megan Hilty) move on from Bombshell has also been a necessary step forward, instead of her hanging around in the wings feeling sorry for herself. You can see the wheels grinding a bit with the set-up of a possible Ivy/Karen switch once again in the Broadway show's lead role, but that doesn't mean it's still not fun to watch.

Considering how many cop shows are on now, and an upcoming slate of serial killer dramas, it's been nice to have something on that's compelling but doesn't give you nightmares. We still have soapy musical drama "Nashville," but who knows how long that will last.

The one good piece of news about the inevitable cancellation of "Smash" is that it will end properly. Showrunner Josh Safran promises that the Season 2 finale ties up plot lines and doesn't have any cliffhanger elements. So at least there'll be a sense of closure.

What do you think, TV fans? Do you love or hate the show? Will you miss it if it's canceled?


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PHOTO: "Smash" Season 2 screencap, 2013, NBC, fair use.

'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' Returns to TV!!

Brad Sherwood, Colin Mochrie, Kathy Kinney, and Ryan Stiles perform
on the original "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"

Many moons ago, I interviewed Colin Mochrie, one of the stars of improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" While expressing an interest in transitioning to movie acting, Mochrie added:

"I love doing "Whose Line...", and it's something I hope I can do forever--which is totally unreasonable--but it definitely is my first love."

Looks like the actor/comedian will get his wish, as "WLIIA?" is returning to TV, and Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, and Colin Mochrie are all set to appear in the new incarnation. The three will be joined each week by a special guest, and the opportunities for hilarity are endless.

Aisha Tyler of "The Talk" will be hosting the reboot. The actress recently guest starred as Jake's mother on "Glee," and has also appeared on "Friends," "24, and "CSI," along with voicing the character Lana Kane on "Archer." Tyler also has a background in stand-up, and hosts a spicy series of podcasts featuring her comedian friends called "Girl on Guy," so she won't have any problem bantering with the improv players.

The new "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" is being picked up by the CW. It's a good way for the channel to lure in some more adult viewers, without alienating their core teenage viewership.

What do you think, TV fans? Are you excited about a "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" revival?

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PHOTO: "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" screencap, ABC, fair use.

Brits Take Over the Emmy Awards

TV snobs fans have often considered British TV to be superior to those series made in the States, and many of this year's Emmy nominations seem to follow that logic. Something that is perhaps more telling, though, is the fact that in the Outstanding Drama Series category, no network TV shows made the cut. So it may not be that it's just British series that are in favor, but anything made by cable stations.

The freedom of cable TV allows creators to come up with edgier, more adult material, and that's just the sort of thing Emmy voters are going to be checking boxes for. Popularity of a given show doesn't always translate to awards, but it definitely helps a series to get noticed. In thinking about how a stuffy upstairs/downstairs PBS drama like "Downton Abbey" got to be so popular, I came to the conclusion that viewers are appreciating these shows for the same reason I always have--the variety of human experience.

Britain hasn't exactly been untouched by tabloid journalism and obsessions with thinness and physical perfection. Fortunately, this hasn't transferred completely into their films and TV, where less-than-perfect people are still allowed lead roles and romantic storylines. I think a lot of viewers don't even realize why they are so attracted to a British series. But that emphasis on building a character, someone with flaws and virtues and yes, even a big nose or freckles, gives us people we care much more deeply about. Physical perfection is nice to look at, but hard to identify with, and rarely sucks us in the way a truly unique character does.

Want to read more about the British actors and series nominated for Emmys? Head over to my Yahoo! omg! piece: "Britain is the New Sexy--Dramatic UK Actors Scoop Up Emmy Award Nominations."



PHOTO: Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in Season 2 of "Downton Abbey," screencap c2011 Carnival Films, ITV, PBS. Fair use.

5 Ways a 'Sex and the City' Prequel TV Series Could Work

Rumors have been circulating for awhile about a possible film prequel to the "Sex and the City" TV series, but nothing has been confirmed. Now word is out that the prequel may in fact be a CW TV series with writer and producer connections to that network's hit show "Gossip Girl." Based on Candace Bushnell's novels that begin with Carrie Bradshaw in high school, the new series could potentially be a success with diehard fans of the original HBO series as well as new teen CW viewers. Prequels have their pitfalls, but there are five ways the new "Sex and the City" could be a new television hit.

1. Go a little more gritty. Over the years, "Sex and the City" got to be more about the clothes, glamor, and outrageous sex rather than the realistic stories of friendship and dating in New York. If the new series could adopt more of a "My So Called Life" real-person, real-life vibe rather than a "Gossip Girl" super chic sheen, it could pay tribute to the start of the original series as well as creating its own signature style. Candace Bushnell's prequel book series gives Carrie and her friends plenty of character quirks, insecurities and drama to deal with, so the new "Sex and the City" would definitely work well with average and awkward teens rather than perfectly styled 24-year-olds pretending to be teens.

2. Add cameos from our favorite characters. So far, the early days of Carrie only include an appearance by Samantha Jones. A treat for fans of the HBO series would be to include glimpses of other characters in the new show. Bushnell's storyline has Carrie in New York City after high school, so it wouldn't be at all unrealistic for her to brush past Stanford on the street or hear Anthony making a scene at a club. Carrie wouldn't have to recognize them at the time, but the fans would. Of course the ultimate gift would be a near-miss of a meet cute with young Mr. Big, which would be a treat for viewers while still preserving their eventual meet-up in the original "Sex and the City" series.

3. Show Carrie's transformation. When "Sex and the City" began, Carrie was the most level-headed and easy-to-identify-with character on the show, so it's not tough to imagine a smart teenager with a sharp wit we'll enjoy cheering on each week. Since she wasn't born with a cool writing gig, designer wardrobe and expensive shoe collection, however, there's great potential to watch our favorite aspiring author slowly find her confidence and style. There's got to be that important moment when she buys her first pair of high-end, hot pink '80s stilettos.

4. Stay true to the time period. The "Sex and the City" prequel would be set in the '80s, which gives the costumers and make-up artists plenty of fun style to work with. Eighties fashion is slowly working its way into current fashion, so there's the danger that the characters might end up looking like modern CW girls rather than properly preppy or New Wave fashionistas, with a little '70s style lingering on from the previous decade. Showing Carrie's experimentation with a quirky mix of '80s fashions and some personal innovation will help keep the show fresh, and also prevent it from looking like some stereotypical neon and spandex style explosion.

5. Create compelling characters. The problem with prequels is that we know how the story ends. While it could be entertaining and enlightening to see Carrie's origin, it could also be tougher for viewers to care about her relationships when it's obvious the guy won't be The One. Anyone who's watched repeats of the original "Sex and the City" series, however, knows that it's still fun to see Carrie's dating misadventures because the characters she meets are interesting and funny--and in a lot of cases, extremely hot. Hook Carrie up with some gorgeous guys we actually care about, and we won't mind taking the journey with them, no matter how short-lived it might be.

What do you think, Yahoo!TV readers? What elements would make a "Sex and the City" prequel succeed?

American Idol: Haley Gets Zeppelin's Blessing; Doesn't Let a Fall Get Her Down

Haley Reinhart had a tough time on American Idol Top 3 performance night. Saddled with the night's toughest songs and questionable arrangements, she nonetheless stole the show with what mentor Beyonce dubbed a "ballsy" move--to sing Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be." While Haley's performed Zeppelin before with her family band, the real motivator behind choosing the song was that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant offered their songs to her--after hearing her sing "The House of the Rising Sun." How can a gal say no to that?

Check out my full Top 3 performance night recap!

Of course, in true American-Idol-hates-Haley fashion, there was no mention of the band giving up their catalog to the young singer. If it had been James, you know they would have done a whole segment on it--James, who even got his Top 4 homecoming shown on performance night.


Haley started the Zeppelin tune at the top of the stairs, peeking out over swinging doors before stepping through them. The audience collectively held its breath as she sauntered down the infinite length of stairs, and exhaled a sigh of relief as she made it confidently and safely. Haley sang her heart out through the complicated shifts in the song's tone, and did a quick rocker turn around the judges' table--before falling back up the two stairs in front of them.

Haley's dad, who was playing guitar with her, shifted forward out of reflex, but kept playing. Haley got herself up, barely missing a beat, delivering the next line to the audience with a smile and earning a whoop from them and the judges. As you see above, she launched into her trademark one-arm "sing it!" wave, which doubled as an "I'm okay!" acknowledgment.


Haley looked amazing, jammed with her dad, and just had an amazing time up there. She did Zeppelin proud, and I hope they liked her version, because I thought it was a damn good tribute to their song and style. You can watch her entire performance here:



Check out my full review: "Ranking the American Idol Top 3: Who's 'In It To Win It'?"


PHOTOS: Haley Reinhart singing Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be," with her dad on guitar, American Idol Top 3 performance night. Screencaps c2011 FOX.

Lady Gaga Night on 'American Idol' Top 4--Haley Gets a Raw Deal

There's a good possibility that Haley Reinhart will go home on American Idol Top 4 results night, and it will be one of AI's biggest crimes if that happens. While the Lady Reinhart has not always been perfect, she's had about four performances now ("Bennie and the Jets," "Rolling in the Deep," "The House of the Rising Sun," and last night's "I (Who Have Nothing)," that have blown the competition out of the water. Lady Gaga was beside herself with glee last night during Haley's mentoring session, announcing, "You're going to kick so much ass!"

Haley has also gotten backing from other musicians, including American Idol alums like Adam Lambert, who last night tweeted: "Haley gets criticized cuz she's the best and SO not cookie cutter. She was Fiesty 2n b/c she's a strong, smart woman. my fav kind o woman," and David Cook, who tweeted "Catching up on tonight's idol. These judges are getting somewhat infuriating."

It's probably not best for Haley to win, since the powers-that-be would probably give her the Kris Allen treatment and punish her with artistic and promotional apathy for not being their favorite. She does, however, deserve to be in the American Idol Top 3. She's grown the most in this competition, with probably James as a close second in that department--though he's faltered a bit of late.

As unfair as the judges have been to Haley, they've also been unfair to the other contestants, who are constantly told that they're awesome and never given any valid criticism. So they keep making the same mistakes, only to be occasionally given some revisionist critique from the judges about how they "didn't do so well last week"--which only serves to confuse them further. All four contestants in this race are talented, and they've all been ill-served by the Idol machine, which is unfortunate. It would have been nice to see these kids really go head to head, at their best, without all the ridiculous producer manipulation and sabotaging of Haley (and honestly, I think they sabotaged Jacob near the end of his run as well--and I wasn't even a fan of his.)

You can read my full write-up of last night's performance night at Yahoo! TV: Lady Gaga on "American Idol" Top 4: Gaga Scares Scotty, Lauren Stands Up for Haley.

You can also find all of my American Idol recap links here on the TV News and Reviews blog.


PHOTO: Haley Reinhart performing "I (Who Have Nothing)" on American Idol Top 4 night. Screencaps c2011, FOX.

Captain Jack Is Back--on Starz in July

No, it's not Captain Jack Sparrow of POTC fame, it's Captain Jack Harkness of Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood. After the last, heart-breaking and offensive "Children of Earth" season, I've been cautiously hopeful about the upcoming American reboot. TVLine reports we've got only a few months wait for the new Torchwood premiere, which lands on Starz on Friday, July 8.

There are two new pieces of info that leave me even more conflicted about the new series. First, is that the season's plot will revolve around the entire planet becoming immortal. I really would have preferred a return to individual stories per episode, and seeing the new team at work, rather than another epic, global arc. Plus this seems to be another of those types of stories that's going to lead to "mountains of agony" as drama. I realize Torchwood has always had a darker edge than Doctor Who, but I preferred the scary and sexy stuff to the gut-annihilating existential angst.

Second is the news that Bill Pullman has been cast as a regular on Torchwood. I LOVE Bill Pullman, but in my head he is and always will be the delicious romantic leading man in Sandra Bullock film While You Were Sleeping. Why this man didn't have a big career in similar parts confuses and annoys me--though I think possibly that was his own doing. Deadline describes his character Oswald Jones as a "dangerously clever convicted murderer." Ack. The only part that's keeping me happy is that the character is also "genuinely repentant." If we get an intriguing, conflicted, sympathetic character arc, Pullman could be brilliant.

Because of John Barrowman and his beautiful, charming and adventurous Captain Jack, I'll be tuning in to the new season of Torchwood on Starz. But I hope creator Russell T. Davies doesn't make me regret it--again.

Get more info on the new season of Torchwood here.


PHOTO: John Barrowman as Captain Jack, Torchwood Season 2, screencap c2010 BBC.

Mekhi Phifer to Star on "Torchwood"

Wow. It looks like season 4 of Torchwood is really happening. After the initial news of an American version of Torchwood, I put it out of my head, fearing the worst about changes to beloved Captain Jack (the scrumptious John Barrowman) and where the storyline could possibly go after the tragedies of Torchwood: Children of Earth. Those reporting the news weren't actually sure it was going to gel after all, so I didn't want to get my hopes up.

Torchwood: The New World is a go, however, and the news is a little brighter. Firstly, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello reported on casting for Torchwood that included a call for a male actor to play intimate scenes with Captain Jack. So it seems that the American broadcaster of Torchwood, Starz, won't be dialing back Jack's fluid sexuality for puritanical US audiences. Huzzah to that.

Secondly, Eve Myles is returning, as well as Gwen's hubby Rhys (Kai Owen). Wales Online reported that Myles recently bought a vintage 60s home in Hollywood, where she and her family will live during filming in the US for Torchwood. The actors will be on set in January, and Torchwood: The New World is expected to air its new ten episodes in the summer--presumably on BBC and Starz simultaneously.

Thirdly, Deadline just reported that Lie to Me and ER actor Mekhi Phifer has been cast in Torchwood as CIA agent Rex Matheson. Spoiler TV has a detailed description of the character, who sounds like a smooth, sexy overachiever. I am beyond excited to see how Phifer and Barrowman interact on the show.

I wasn't sure I'd ever get over the cruelty that was Torchwood: Children of Earth, but the fact is that Captain Jack is just too good of a character to abandon, and I'll be happy to see Jack and Gwen together again. There's a two year gap between the storyline of Children of Earth and this new season 4, no doubt to give a reasonable amount of time for healing after the fatal events the duo endured. For my part, I'd prefer to just erase the whole last season, because the writers tainted Jack with their attempts at "drama".

So, I'm being cautiously optimistic about the return of Torchwood. Here's hoping the writers will treat us fans a bit better on this go around.


PHOTO: Mekhi Phifer in Lie to Me, screencap c2010, FOX.

Katie Couric to Guest Star on "Glee"

In an interesting move by the Glee showrunners, CBS news anchor Katie Couric will be turning up as a guest star on Glee. Will she be joining a Cheerios pyramid? Interviewing Sue Sylvester for a special report on Cheerleading Coach of the Universe?

Fan reaction so far has included plenty of "Bzuh?" responses, but Katie could be a surprise on Glee. I give you all the scoop about the appearance and Katie's glee club credentials over on Yahoo! omg! with "Katie Couric to Appear on 'Glee' with Coach Sylvester".

Katie Couric's Glee guest starring role should take place on FOX February 6, after the Super Bowl.


PHOTO: Katie Couric making her entrance on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show last year, screencap c2009 Mad Cow Productions, Comedy Central.

Sarah Shahi Series 'Fairly Legal' Premieres in January on USA

I've recently started re-watching the excellent-but-canceled series Life, the occasionally flawed but usually brilliant, unique, and entertaining cop show starring Damian Lewis and Sarah Shahi. Shahi was amazing in this series, strong and smart and and one of the few petite women I've actually believed could be a detective in real life. No blank-eyed starlet here; Shahi was able to be tough, aggressive, clever, sarcastic, quick with her gun, and of course, just a bit damaged. She and the equally talented Lewis (Band of Brothers) had a striking chemistry on Life, and it's a shame that the writer's strike, and audience confusion over a show that defied labeling, killed this stellar TV series well before its time (though it did at least have a beautiful and satisfying final episode).

Now Shahi has a new series, called Fairly Legal. The show debuts on USA on Thursday, January 20, 2011, at 10pm ET (9pm CT). Formerly titled "Facing Kate", Fairly Legal will focus on top lawyer Kate Reed, who leaves the corruption of the legal system behind to "actually help people" by becoming a mediator. Kate will also be dealing with the sudden death of her father, the "evil step-mother" who now runs his law firm, and her on-again off-again relationship with ex Justin (BSG alum Michael Trucco).



The trailer isn't quite selling me on the show; it's trying a little too hard to be "quirky" and "funny". The moment I like best in the trailer is the exchange with Kate's assistant Leonardo (Baron Vaughn)--and Leonardo's evil laugh. USA shows tend to have great banter and a sly sense of humor, so I'm hoping that Fairly Legal will be as quick with the wit as White Collar, Burn Notice, and even the fairly fluffy Covert Affairs.

Fairly Legal will follow USA's surprise hit Royal Pains, and that's probably a good match in tone. Shahi definitely has talent, and she was adept at handling the absurd in Life, so she could make it work in Fairly Legal. USA has been churning out plenty of successful series of late, so Fairly Legal is worth a look for a few episodes to see how the series is going to pan out. Especially since TVSquad reports that Richard Dean Anderson (Stargate SG-1, MacGyver) is set to appear in a 5 episode arc.

Now, if they could just get Damian Lewis to guest star...

Fairly Legal will air on USA, Thursdays at 10/9c.

PHOTO: Sarah Shahi as Kate Reed in USA series Fairly Legal, screencap c2010 Universal Cable Productions, USA Network.

Sources: USA's Fairly Legal promo page, HitFix, and TVSquad.

Kim Kardashian Is Not a Pedophile; Justin Bieber Is a Flirt

Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber work together on the set of their Elle photoshoot.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be defending reality star, famous-for-being-famous, Kim Kardashian. But the latest uproar over her Elle photoshoot and mild flirtations with 16 year old Justin Bieber have gotten completely out of hand. Besides making a mountain out of a molehill, the world apparently still thinks that older men/younger women is hot, and younger men/older women is "gross".

It's always amazing to me how thoroughly people can live with blinders on, never paying attention to those teenage female models in sexy photoshoots and young girls in films with men decades older than them--but the moment Demi Moore ogles a man 15 years her junior, all hell breaks loose.

Now we have Kim Kardashian, a 29 year old who's being called a "cougar" at best, and pedophile at worst. All this for basically standing in the proximity of a teenager and not acting like a nun. Perhaps we can forgive the insulting tweets from hormonal teens and crazy pre-teens, but the rest of the world definitely needs to grow up.

Want all the scoop on the Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian "courtship"? Want to know what Chelsea Handler thinks about her boy Bieber's "betrayal"? You can check out the full story in "Kim Kardashian Is Not a Pedophile; Justin Bieber Is a Flirt."

PHOTO: Screencap from behind the scenes video of the Elle photoshoot, c2010 Elle.com.