DRAMA
Damages Season 4: Is Anyone Else Watching?
Sep 8th
What happens when a great show gets zero viewers?
That’s the challenge currently being faced by Damages, the Glenn Close starrer that’s coming to the end of its run on DirecTV with pretty much no buzz or fanfare!
As you may recall, I was very worried when I first heard that my favorite legal drama was changing channels last year, after being unceremoniously dropped by FX (who then went ahead and laid a giant egg with boxing flop Lights Out).
DirecTV was fine for Friday Night Lights as the show received a second window on NBC – so at least fans could catch it second time around. But Damages was getting no such reprieve – meaning it was exclusive to a channel that most of the country don’t get and probably can’t even find if they have it in the first place! So in a way it doesn’t matter how great this season of Damages is – basically no one is watching!
Well except me that is! So has the move to DirecTV affected the Damages brand?
Thankfully no. Season 4 has just been just as good as year’s past – though you can certainly see the effects of the show’s reduced budget.
More >
2011 Fall TV Preview: Unforgettable
Sep 6th
When Does It Start: Tuesday September 20th at 10pm EST on CBS
In A Nutshell: It’s another CBS procedural… this time about a former police officer who has the ability to remember everything!
What’s It About: Former police officer Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery) suffers from a condition called hyperthymesia – meaning she can remember everything that’s ever happened to her. EVER! But the one day Carrie can’t remember is the day her sister was murdered, a tragedy that continues to haunt her to this day.
After leaving the force due to the stress of the job, Carrie witnesses a murder and is reluctantly coaxed back into duty by her former partner and boyfriend, Al (Dylan Walsh). And voila, CBS has a new crime-fighting duo…
Sneak Peek: Downton Abbey Season 2
Sep 4th
Finally – the promos are out!
Yep, it’s the return of my favorite Brit drama series, the absolutely superlative Downton Abbey – the best TV show most Americans aren’t watching! So if you remember Season 1 left us with a whole batch of cliffhangers… sneaky O’Brien caused Cora to have a miscarriage (a baby that would have been a boy and therefore saved the family fortune), Thomas quit after his various schemes started to unravel and Mary sabotaged Edith’s engagement in revenge for her sister revealing her affair with Pamuk. And of course war was announced… phew!
The new season launches 18th September and will run from 1916 – 1918. There’s 8 episodes, followed by a Christmas special. Many of the male characters such as Matthew, Thomas and William will be off fighting the war, while politically engaged Lady Sybil goes to work as in the nursing corps. And of course there will be plenty of Maggie Smith’s trademark putdowns!
Considering the show launches in 2 weeks time I’m amazed ITV1 in England have left it so late to start releasing teasers – but heck, they know the show is going to be a massive success even if they didn’t put out a single More >
2011 Fall TV Preview: The Playboy Club
Sep 2nd
When Does It Start: Monday September 19th at 10pm EST on NBC
In A Nutshell: Remember that Mad Men episode where Don Draper visited a Playboy club…?
What’s It About: It’s the early 1960’s and in Chicago the Playboy Club is the hottest venue in town – a living, breathing fantasy with cocktails, music acts and, of course, Bunnies!
Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) is the hottest playboy in town and a top attorney whose life becomes embroiled with the ladies at the club, following the accidental death of a mob boss. Nick’s dating one of the Bunnies but finds himself drawn to the sexy newcomer Maureen (Amber Heard). Then there’s the African American Bunny who’s challenging 60’s era racism and the married Bunny hiding a big secret from her co-workers (she’s a lesbian). NBC hopes the show will be a sexy, soapy, sixties cocktail – with a social conscience…
True Blood: Why Andy Bellefleur Has To Go!
Aug 30th
Okay, I’ve bitten my tongue for as long as I can… and I just can’t contain myself anymore!
Can we all finally agree that it’s high time that the truly tiresome Andy Bellefleur met the true death on True Blood?
I’ve stuck with my favorite vampire saga for 4 full seasons – through the highs (Maryann, King Russell, Alcide) and the lows (a good chunk of Season 3) – so as a true fan I’m totally in my rights to name paunchy local cop Andy the series most unnecessary and uninteresting character. Ever!
Through all the time that we’ve known him Andy has never once risen to the level of a 3 dimensional character. He’s True Blood’s resident oaf, a cartoonish clown who can always be relied upon to screw up and get the facts wrong. So basically he’s Jason. Except Sookie’s brother at least has his sex appeal to fall back on.
NOT Coming To A TV Near You: The Locke And Key Trailer
Aug 25th
As you doubtless know, every year the broadcast networks shoot dozens of pilots in the first few months of the year in an effort to plan ahead for the Fall season.
Many of those shows go on to become future series. And a lot of those projects are cancelled just a few weeks later (remember last year’s Lone Star)
But every year there are also a handful of hotly anticipated series that DON’T make the cut. This time around I was surprised that the Don Johnson / Ellen Barker starrer, A Mann’s World, didn’t go to series – sounded like a lot of fun to me!
But another show that a lot of people thought would be picked up was Locke And Key, a mysterious new show for Fox that boasted quite a caliber. Locke was based on a popular series of comic books, starred hot young stars Nick Stahl and Jesse McCartney and was produced by Steven Spielberg. And yet Fox still PASSED on the show – and no other network, including The CW and ABC Family picked it up.
The full Locke And Key pilot was shown at Comic Con, doubtless to generate some interest in the project, but to no avail. The series remains unsold.
Well More >
2011 Fall TV Preview: The Secret Circle
Aug 22nd
When Does It Start: Thursday 15th September at 9pm EST on The CW
In A Nutshell: Move over vampires and zombies – this Fall it’s all about witchcraft!
What’s It About: Cassie Blake is a normal teenager until tragedy strikes when her mother dies in a freak fiery accident. But when Cassie moves to the beautiful small town of Chance Harbor she discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t all that it seemed.
As Cassie adjusts to her new life and makes a new set of friends (cute boy, tick, mean girl, tick, BFF, tick) she realizes she’s part of an ancient secret circle, endowed with magical powers and descended from powerful witches. But there are dark forces afoot in Chance Harbor and great danger ahead… cue high school drama, teen romance and plenty of PG-13 rated thrills!
First Look: American Horror Story
Aug 19th
Here’s another show I’ve VERY excited about for the Fall – and which I think has the makings of a huge hit for FX.
Check out the just released teaser for American Horror Story, the new series that aims to do for haunted houses what The Walking Dead did for zombies and True Blood did for vampires.
Horror Story stars Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton as Ben and Vivian, a couple who move into a new house with their kids, after Ben commits adultery. But the house seems to know exactly what’s on the family’s minds and feeds on their fears…
Also along for the ride is Jessica Lange – who clearly realizes after Grey Gardens that all the best roles for women are on TV these days. Plus look out for Francis Conroy from Six Feet Under as the couple’s housekeeper and Denis O’Hare aka King Russell from True Blood.
As you probably know, American Horror Story is Executive Produced by Ryan Murphy of Glee infamy. Let’s just hope this show’s a little more consistent and less erratic than the fast fading Fox hit.
Have to say though – this trailer does look terrific – and as a big horror fan, I’m certainly excited for the series’ potential…
American Horror Story More >
True Blood Series 4: What Do You Think Of The Season So Far?
Aug 16th
So have you been following the latest season of True Blood… and if so what are your thoughts so far?
I’ve been a big True Blood fan from the very start but as regular Remote Patrolled readers would know, I was NOT a big supporter of the messy Season 3 which suffered from far too many characters, dragged out story lines and a whole heap of plots that didn’t connect.
So I was pleasantly surprised when Season 4 started with a bang a few weeks ago – and since then the quality has remained pretty high. But of course I’m never satisfied and there are always holes to pick!
On the plus side I’m loving Marnie the witch – a worthy successor to the fabulous Maryann (when is Michelle Forbes going to get her own series I wonder?) I also like how the witches versus vampires storylines has given the season clear battle lines and a central thrust that was missing from last year’s show.
2011 Fall TV Preview: Ringer
Aug 15th
When Does It Start: Tuesday 13th September at 9pm EST on The CW
In A Nutshell: It’s double trouble for Sarah Michelle Gellar as she plays twin sisters in a twisted thriller. Paging Brian De Palma!
What’s It About: Twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan have never been close – until their two lives start to unravel. Bridget is a recovering alcoholic, on the run from the mob, while Siobhan is her icy but wealthy sister. When the two take a boat trip and Siobhan mysteriously disappears overboard, Bridget assumes her sister’s identity. But Siobhan’s life isn’t all that it appears and Bridget finds herself in a whole world of double and triple crosses…. Check out the twist at the end of the trailer below…
