Emmy nominations snap judgement

The 2010 Emmy nominations have just been announced and there were some excellent surprises and some not so surprising omissions (it's still annoying even if it isn't a surprise). Here is a list of who and what I am happy with being nominated, the snubs that sting and the 'huh' they were nominated thoughts:

What I am happy about:

-Finally Friday Night Lights gets some love with both Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler getting nominations (Actress and Actor in a drama), these are long overdue and well deserved, they really are the heart and soul of this fabulous show. Very glad that 'The Son' has got a writing nomination, one of the best episodes of FNL.
-The final season of Lost being a nomination success; Matthew Fox (Actor in a Drama), Michael Emerson, Terry O'Quinn (Best Supporting in a Drama) and Elizabeth Mitchell (Guest Actress in a Drama) all getting acting nods. The writing and directing of the finale featuring, as well as a nod for Michael Giacchino for his score for 'The End' which made the show and the finale all the more emotional.
-The Pacific getting the most nominations with 24, though it not being included in the acting categories is a disappointment.
-Unsurprisingly Mad Men bagged itself 17 nominations and deservedly so. Those up for the acting gongs are Jon Hamm, January Jones, John Slattery, Christina Hendricks, Elisabeth Moss and Robert Morse (for actor/actress, supporting actor/actress and guest actor). Shame that Vincent Kartheiser and Jared Harris can't be included but I guess I can't be greedy. And whilst I'm surprised that 'The Gypsy and the Hobo' wasn't nominated in the writing category I'm pleased that both 'Guy Walks in to an Advertising Agency' and 'Shut the Door. Have a Seat' are nominated
-The Good Wife also favouring well in the acting categories with the both the women and the men being well represented: Julianna Margulies (Alicia Florrick), Archie Panjabi (Kalinda Sharma), Christine Baranski (Diane Lockhart), Alan Cumming (Eli Gold) and Dylan Baker (Colin Sweeney). I've really enjoyed this new show and after Margulies Golden Globes success it is great to see that her cast mates are also sharing in the award lime light, though it is a shame to see that Chris Noth (Peter Florrick) was overlooked.
-It's also not a surprise that Glee received 19 nominations, some more deserved than others, I was happy for Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) and one of the best father son combos on TV Chris Colfor (Kurt Hummel) and Mike O'Malley (Burt Hummel). Also nominated in the guest actor in a comedy category for Glee was Neil Patrick Harris who has two nominations (the other for How I Met Your Mother), Jon Hamm and Tina Fey both also share in the double nominations, Hamm for Mad Men and 30 Rock, Fey for SNL and 30 Rock.
-The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien getting the nod over Jay Leno, Team Coco all the way, loved the reaction in the room to this one when it was announced as well as the fact that the Emmys will be broadcast on NBC. Though The Daily Show normally wins this one, so it's a win/win really for me.
-Other shows that got some love that I love include; The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Dexter, 30 Rock, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, Nurse Jackie and Damages.


What nominations (or lack of nominations) made me go grr and huh?:

-Zach Gilford not getting nominated for the FNL episode 'The Son'. It was a long shot but after hearing Connie Britton and Kyle Chandlers nominations I was hopeful that he would be recognised as well, but alas. At least the episode got the writing nod.
-Tony Shaloub for Monk and Jon Cryer for Two and a Half Men just makes me say why?
-Even though he was presenting the nominations Joel McHale and Community came up with nothing, this was annoying, though he did a good job with the nominations. Loved when he jumped in to pronounce Mariska Hargitay.
-There seems to be a lot of unhappy writers out there about the lack of Parks and Rec nominations which has reminded me that I really need to get that show on DVD. I also need to watch my Breaking Bad DVDs before August 29th.
-Other long shots I would have loved to see but am not surprised by there omissions; Chuck, John Noble in Fringe and The Vampire Diaries. If I had an award show all of these would win.



For a full list of nominations head to the official Emmys site here

All photos courtesy of NBC

TV news round up: Friday Night Lights edition

-Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor, Friday Night Lights) has been made a "very lucrative offer" to star in the Steven Spielberg/ Peter Chernin produced TV pilot 'Terra Nova' for Fox. The show revolves around a family who travels back in time to the prehistoric dinosaur era, this sounds like it could be like the Flintstones but with Spielberg and Chandler on board I think this could be a new favourite of mine. Jurassic Park was such a big movie for me when I was a kid that the dinosaur factor instantly makes me interested. [Ausiello]
-More Friday Night Lights goodies; Scott Porter (Jason Street) has been confirmed as a returning character for season 5 in the seventh episode. Now lets hope that other ex Dillon residents that feature on executive producer Jason Katims' wish list; Gauis Charles (Smash), Zach Gilford (Saracen), Jesse Plemons (Landry), Taylor Kitsch (Riggins), Adrianne Palicki (Tyra) make an appearance as well. Friday Night Lights has balanced the burden of the short life of a high school show well, with characters leaving at the appropriate time but then also making appearances down the line. This factor is another reason why the show works so well and why it is a shame that it is not watched by more people. [Ausiello]
-Speaking of Friday Night Lights it's set to air the fourth season on NBC on May 7th, spread the word, even if you have seen it already watch it again, this trailer gave me major goose bumps:

Women in TV week: Tami Taylor (Connie Britton)

The theme of this years International Women's Day is 'Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all' so I thought it was apt to start my women in TV week with a character/actress that in Friday Night Light exemplifies this theme; Connie Britton who plays Tami Taylor. 

The idea of writing specifically about women in television may seem to go against the notion of equality for all, why aren't I writing about men as well you might ask? The reason for this focus is because there is still a lack of equality even now in television, mainly behind the camera regarding certain roles for women and I wanted to look at those who are helping bring equality whether it be through acting, writing or directing. As last nights Academy Awards showed women are making a break through in these roles but it will be better when gender is not something that is mentioned in conjunction with these accolades; when the words woman and director aren't a rarity at an awards show and when the celluloid ceiling is well and truly broken. In the mean time I think it is a positive thing to highlight the women who inspire us to get this equality, not so that we are better than our male counterparts but so we can share the same platform without it seeming like a rare moment.

With this in mind I wanted to look at the character of Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights as someone who encapsulates the idea that women can be equal, whether in the work place or at home. I'm going to concentrate on story arcs from the first three seasons as even though season 4 has aired on Direct TV it will be returning to NBC at the end of April which will be when the majority will see it.
One of the major strengths of Friday Night Lights is the writing and the freedom that the actors are given with the scripts. This sounds like an oxymoron, however it is the fact that the dialogue at times is improvised that gives this show the realistic sound that sets it apart from other dramas. Conversations sound really instead of forced, people talk over each other and stumble on words and it is in these moments that Friday Night Lights can excel. The realism in the marriage between Tami and Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is something that I love about this show and it is through the natural conversation between the two whether it is in a heated argument or if they are just talking about their day that makes this programme special. It is this dynamic that allows for this idea of equality for all to shine, neither one is in charge of the other, they are equal to one another. Yes they may hide things from one another on occasion, and Tami is the more vocal of the two with Eric quite often doing most of the talking through his facial expressions rather than words, but as a viewer you always know that they will talk it out in the end and all will be good even if chaos surrounds them (and by chaos I generally mean the boosters).
In three seasons the character has gone from a stay at home mum, to guidance counselor at the school, to having another baby and then becoming principal at Dillon High. This upward career trajectory has meant that as a character we have seen Tami wrestle with conflicting feelings of being both a mother and having a career and has shown the balancing act that many woman go through. With this they showed the guilt of a mother having to put their child in daycare and how this can make someone feel like a bad mother. In season 2 whilst Eric was coaching at TMU away from home in Austin, the vulnerable side of Tami was fully exposed, with a new born child and her eldest daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden) becoming the pure definition of teenage brat we saw Tami reach an all time low when she retaliated to Julies rebellion by slapping her face. This moment followed by the subsequent momentary breakdown of this character showed that whilst Tami is a woman who is a strong, there are still moments that can break us and this is when we need the strengths of others to return us to who we are, and in this case it was her husband.

The relationship between Tami and Julie is one that has evolved through these three seasons from one of parental protection to the understanding that Julie is becoming a woman and there is no point in trying to hold her back rather the best course of action is to be there for guidance and as someone who can help with a simple hug. The discussions about sex that these two have had on several occasions are examples of where Tami can seem overbearing but she gives out good advice, as if this is the advice that she wishes she had been given as a young woman (it is mentioned at points that she had a turbulent relationship with her own mother). It is all about the notion of respect, how woman should respect themselves so others will respect them and I think that this is a positive message for any woman no matter what your age. Yes Julie has been a brat, but this is another example of the realism of this show as I am sure we've all spoken to our parents in a disrespectful way at some point in our lives and acted out. What makes it special is that even through their difficult moments with each other they really do have a strong mother/daughter bond and this is one element that I love about this show.

The manner in which Tami helped Tyra (Adrianne Palicki) realise her potential and become more than just another small town girl throughout the first three seasons was a joy to watch. It wasn't the Disney fairytale at first with Tami herself pegging Tyra as a bad girl influence and it wasn't until she helped Tyra after her mother had a drunken accident that a bond was formed. This bond allowed Tyra to realise that she was more than just a waitress who would never get in to college and with the help of Landry this goal was achieved. This story arc was one I particularly enjoyed, Friday Night Lights is a show that isn't afraid to beat it's characters down but it will also show that good can happen as long as you work hard to achieve your goals.

As a character she is inspiring for many reason that I have listed above and she really does comply to this notion that women and men can be equal and this is what we see in her relationship with her husband and those that she works with and it is because of this that she is a character that I love to watch. It is because of these reasons that I chose her as one of the women in TV at the moment that I wanted to profile and I look forward to seeing her in more Friday Night Lights and with whatever opportunities come Connie Brittons way when life in Dillon Texas comes to a close. Also no one says y'all like Tami Taylor.
Here is an interview with Connie Britton about what we can expect from season 4:

International Women's Day 8th March

This Monday is International Women's Day and in honour of this next week I am going to profile women in television at this time who, both behind and in front of the camera are examples of the great contribution to television. I am interested in the idea of the 'celluloid ceiling' which as a concept suggests that women are statistically the minority gender in Hollywood, this unfortunately does appear to be the case with women representing a small amount of directors and writers. What I intend to look at is those women who are leading the way in these fields as well as those women who in front of the camera portray characters who will further the idea that women are equal to men in all facets of the world. This is a project that I have been looking at for some time and it is always one that I think of whenever I am watching Friday Night Lights (Tami Taylor has this effect on me), so I am really looking forward to sharing with you all the talented women that you are already aware of and some you may be less familiar with.
This marks the 99th International Women's Day after it started way back in 1911. This is definitely something to be proud of and the world has come a significant way since then, there is still a way to go but I am looking forward to celebrating those women in television who are aiding this. If you would like to find out more about International Women's Day go here.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everybody! 2010 looks set to be a very exciting year in the TV world and here is my list of what I am anticipating the most:

• The sixth and final season of Lost.
• Mad Men season 4: Cooper, Sterling, Draper, Pryce  
• The return of Chuck: after a great 'Save Chuck' campaign that worked lets hope that this season gets more ratings and helps the show stay on air. Early reviews implicate this as the strongest season yet and it starts with a double this Sunday 10th with another episode on Monday 11th.
• The Pacific on HBO, if it's anywhere near as good as Band of Brothers then this will be terrific (early signs say it is and the trailer is fantastic).
• Friday Night Lights continuing to be awesome and this year without the worry that it will be cancelled.
• Fringe returning strong and not getting cancelled would be nice too.
• The Daily Show and Colbert Report returning this week, I know it hasn't been off the air for too long but I really miss it when it is not on. Also I will be making my first trip to NYC this year so I'm really hoping to watch one of these being taped.

So in anticipation of Chuck returning here is a really good indepth interview that Zachary Levi did with Televisionary (he also quotes from The Little Mermaid which kinda makes me love him more):

My favourite discovery this year: Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights may have begun back in 2006, yet it was not until this year that I started watching the Dillon Panthers which is why I am naming it my favourite new show of 2009. I quickly consumed the first 3 seasons on DVD and have been enjoying the forth season as it is airing (with last weeks episode being one of the best yet). Even with the dip in decent storylines during the writers strike affected second season this is one of the best shows on TV at the moment and it is a big shame that it doesn't get higher ratings. I'm indicative of the fact that a show about a sport that I have little interest in can become one of my favourite shows, and it shows that this FNL is about way more that just high school football. It is about the people in the town, both the adults and the school kids and it because it is so well produced that as an audience we care greatly for what happens to them both on and off the field. The parts that are about the games always make me anxious because I know that this show isn't just about showing this team winning but also getting defeated when it really matters. I also think that my grasp of American football is much better and I even understand what different plays mean.

The strength in FNL though is not just about how good the football sequences look but that the interactions between characters come across as being real and this is partly down to the organic filming style, everything is in motion and the conversations regarding issues such as sex and religion do not seem forced or prejudicial. It is also really great to see a TV show with a married couple who fight and laugh like real people, Tami and Eric are by far my favourite TV parents and this is definitely to do with this dynamic as well as the excellent performances and chemistry between Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler.

Elsewhere character wise even though some of the high schoolers are clearly in their twenties, the depictions of these characters who live in a town that has little to offer beyond high school football are excellent. From Tyra who is desperate not to turn in to her mother with a bad string of relationships, to Smash also desperate to get in to college so he can get in to the NFL to Riggins who doesn't see much beyond drinking, women and football each character is well formed and believable. Julie is however the perfect portrayal of a teenager, from her bratty behaviour to her confusion regarding new relationships and sex, to her both disrespecting but also needing her parents she really does have the whole teenage angle down.
My favourite character though is Matt Saracen, QB2 who became QB1 after Jason Street became paralysed.  Matt is a character who is modest and works hard, at both football and his relationships especially looking after his Grandmother who has dementia. It is this storyline that is particularly heartbreaking, they are a family of little means but you can tell that he really does love and want to care for his Grandmother, it was the season 1 episode when Matt is out on his first date with Julie that gets interrupted by his Grandmother having a moment of confusion when he has to sing 'Mr Sandman' to calm her down that sealed my love for this character.
Overall this show really is terrific and I am so glad that even if I was a little late to the FNL party that I started watching this year. Also, whilst I have just said that Lost has my favourite pilot, this show is a close runner up for that title, everything about it sums up why this show really is exceptional. Other than the great acting and writing the other important factor that makes this show as good as it is, is that it is filmed on location in Texas, using real Texans in many of the background parts (I especially loved the jewellery sales woman in season 1), this gives a much more authentic feel than if it was shot in some back lot in LA. It is for all of these reasons that this is my favourite 'new' show of 2009.

"Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose"

Graduation and what is to come

So, I finally had my graduation ceremony for my Masters in Film and Television which turned out to be a fun afternoon, not only because I got to catch up with some old faces but also because the person who was awarded an honorary degree was the BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner. Gardner was reporting in Saudi Arabia in 2004 when he and his cameraman Simon Cumbers were fired upon by al-Qaeda sympathisers, Cumbers was killed and Gardner who was shot six times was left paralysed. He gave a speech that gave hope to the many graduates in the room and showed that you can achieve your dreams as well as overcome obstacles that are presented to us, no matter how big or small. Here is a picture of me (and my Dad) from the day

It is also odd to think that this time last year I was hard at work with my dissertation which the topic of my study was whether authorship in television is viable and if it is then by what means. My case study was JJ Abrams and I was looking at his body of work in television with the cut off for all Fringe related research being Comic Con. The fact that it is Comic Con this weekend and that it was my graduation last week brings my Masters to a close. On that note I have several things that I would like to write about in the next week or so and I aim to be more productive with this blog throughout the summer as I have been a little absent recently.

Areas that I would like to cover include:

-Reviewing the short lived sitcom Kitchen Confidential which I have just finished watching on DVD.

-The news and highlights from Comic Con, I wish I was there but unfortunately I will be scanning Entertainment Weekly and fan sites such as obsessedwithbones.com and chucktv.net for all the weekends’ gossip

-I just read a review in the New York Times for the Nathan Rabin book ‘The Big Rewind: A Memoir Bought to you by Pop Culture’. Rabin who is now a writer for the Onion writes about his turbulent growing up through pop culture references and from what I have heard this book sounds super and I definitely want to read it (right after I finish with the Dead Zone).

-I’m also currently re-watching season 2 of Mad Men which I got on DVD last week, in preparation for the new season and also because it is truly wonderful TV. The new promo poster for season 3 has been released and makes me so excited for this new season:

-I would like to look at this years Emmy nominations and watch some more of the drama nominees as I currently only watch Mad Men, Dexter and Lost out of the list, really want to check out Breaking Bad and Damages (which my Mum loves and the first season is super cheap to buy at the moment). But also a big grr to Friday Night Lights getting snubbed again in the major categories, what has this show got to do to get some Emmy love?

So, I will be writing a lot more soon, also I have had a guest review of the season 1 Bones episode ‘The man in the fallout shelter’ posted on www.obsessedwithbones.com and will have another one coming soon as I also wrote about ‘The man with the bone’.

Friday Night Lights

I got asked by a friend a few days ago ‘What’s so good about Friday Night Lights?’, he has not seen the show before and so instead of just telling him why this show is brilliant I figured I would write about it instead, as I think I could talk for hours on this show and I might be a tad more articulate if I air these reasons on this blog. I will try to be as non-spoilery as possible so not to ruin the show for newcomers as this really is a show that should be watched by more people. I am also super happy that it has been renewed for two more seasons so there won’t be the fear of cancellation that has happened after each of the three previous seasons.

So in no particular order, the reasons why I believe this to be one of the best programmes on TV and of the past few years:

• The setting: the fact that FNL is filmed on location in Austin, Texas means that there is an authentic quality that would not occur if it was shot on some studio lot in LA. The place is important to this show as it is about a small town in Texas and how much the high school football team provides for the town and its inhabitants. It makes the show believable and in turn makes you route for these characters as the scenarios that face the different families are ones that the audience will be familiar with.
• The cast: yes like most US shows the cast is incredibly good looking, however they are also a talented bunch who are aided by the style that FNL is shot in, with multiple cameras on them at all times the actors are sometimes not sure of what coverage that they are getting so they have to be on the ball at all times. It has been said that the script will often act like a general outline and that the actors have the freedom for improvisation which gives a fluidity that further adds to the authenticity that the show features.
• Eric and Tami Taylor: The coach and his wife are the heart of the show and are my favourite TV married couple. Their relationship isn’t perfect (is anybodies?), they disagree but fundamentally they are a couple who respect each other and love each other and are so important to their own child and the guys on the team. Once again, they seem so natural together and it is the chemistry between Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton that makes this union so believable.
• The music: if you check out my previous post I have already written about the brilliance of the music in FNL. I will reiterate that not only is the use of Explosions in the Sky in the three seasons so far been excellent, but that the diversity of the other music makes this one of my favourite shows for how well songs fit the tone of the scenes. My only gripe being that due to what must be licensing reasons certain songs have changed from the Direct TV versions of season 3 to the NBC/DVD versions of the episodes.
• It will surprise you: as far as story lines go this show has surprised me in the directions it takes, almost always for the better (except for a certain season 2 story arc that seemed out of character for the show). I can’t go in to much detail without divulging spoilers but there have been many occasions that I have been watching it expecting things to go one way and they do the opposite.
• You don’t have to like or know about American football: before I started watching my knowledge was pretty much zero (it is still pretty low), however the football game sequences are so involving that they are some of my favourites in the show.
• It is not your typical high school show: despite the setting and that most of the characters are high school students this show feels very different to any other high school show that I have seen. I think it is due to many of the elements that I have mentioned already, like the setting and the cast but even though this show deals with many issues that are common on teen shows (eg. sex, drinking, getting in to college) the overall feel is of a drama about the whole town and not just the high school.

I hope that this overview of what makes Friday Night Lights excellent to me touches on what a special show it is; here is the season 1 promo video:

‘Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose’

TV Show Music

    I like soundtracks, for both film and TV, which I think stems from my love of making mix tapes/CDs, but I often find it frustrating when you are watching something and a song sounds great but you just don’t know who it is. In the past it would quite often take me a while to find out who it was, usually by searching online. However, a couple of days ago when searching for songs that I had heard on Friday Night Lights I discovered a superb website called TV Show Music. It has both past and present shows on there, including The OC, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl, Friday Night Lights and even reality shows such as The Hills, as well as many others. The aspect of this site that I really liked was that it not only has track listings for episodes but also what scene the song is played in, as well as links to where you can download the tracks and a player to hear the track (the downfall of this feature is that it is for US only users).

    So now that I have finally found a site that will help me find the tracks that I hear and love on TV, I wanted to write a little on the shows that have featured great music that has expanded my CD collection a little more and why certain shows have soundtracks that enhance the viewing pleasure. First off I need to unburden myself with the potential original source for my love of TV soundtracks which comes I think from Dawson’s Creek (and yes I owned both CDs), the teen drama is a usual source of new music and as I will review is a trend that is prevalent today;

 

The OC/Gossip Girl: Josh Schwartz has made it his ‘thing’ it would seem to associate his programming with new and exciting music. This works on several levels, it means that his shows that are about young and trendy teenagers also have external elements that feature this criteria but it also allows outside product synergy that, from a commercial aspect benefits both the shows and the bands on the CDs. Once again I own both shows albums, and both have led me to new bands, although I must admit I got a band opinion of Phantom Planet from the OC theme song, as it is a song I don’t really like, however after hearing other Phantom Planet tracks on Gossip Girl (primarily Raise the Dead in ‘The Serena Also Rises’) I have fallen in love with their music.

 

Chuck: Yes another Josh Schwartz show but one that doesn’t necessarily use music as a promotional aspect of the programme, primarily because it is a different age range of characters and the setting is not focused on the lifestyles of the rich. However out of the three Schwartz helmed shows it is Chuck that has me often looking up the artists who feature in the songs that are played. It also blends music that is both current and other songs that deserve their place in pop culture history (‘Hip to be Square’, ‘Once in a Lifetime’ and the songs performed by Jeffster: ‘Africa’ and ‘Mr Roboto’). Also Bon Iver has been used beautifully in several episodes in season 2 that made me fall in love again with ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’. Chuck also introduced to The Thermals who I think are awesome.

 

Friday Night Lights: Just to reiterate it is FNL that led me to find TVshowmusic.com, and I must say that the range of tracks that this programme uses is both impressive and important in creating the world of Dillon, Texas. The music of Explosions in the Sky is perhaps the key to this example as they have been used throughout the three seasons of the show and it personifies the feelings of the town through the beautiful and hopeful instrumental music. The other music that is used throughout is contemporary, and it ranges from acoustic guitar music to more hip hop related songs. As it is set in a small town in Texas there has also been some more traditional county music performance particularly at the wedding at the end of season 3 which demonstrates why this show has been hailed for its realism, by using real Texan performers in a real Texan setting.

 

Alias/ Lost/ Fringe: Most of the music in these three JJ Abrams associated shows is by composer Michael Giacchino, who creates music that fits so perfectly with the tone of these shows. It is rare for a television show to be scored by a live orchestra but Giacchino does just this and it is this quality that makes his music an important feature of these shows. With Lost he says that he won’t read the scripts, he just reacts musically to what it happening on screen and it is this organic work method that I think makes the music in Lost the dramatic and often tense sounding what it is. That he also used parts of the plane that was used in the pilot episode as percussion instruments also shows how the music is a part of the show.

 

Summer watching and reading

So with the summer officially here the amount of TV shows that I watch has dwindled, it is lucky then that I have several shows that I would like to catch up on and that I also have a stack of books to get through, so here is my must list of shows/books that I would like to get through this summer:

• Friday Night Lights season 3: this arrived on DVD a few days ago and I only have three episodes left, it sucks that it is such a short season but I have thoroughly enjoyed what I have seen so far and will blog more on this when I have finished it (which will probably be by tomorrow).
• The Office seasons 4 and 5: so as I wrote about previously I finally got round to watching this show and have fallen in love with it. I’ve heard that these two seasons are not as good as the second and third but I am looking forward to seeing how the coupling of Pam and Jim will affect the shows dynamic.
• I need to catch up on Dexter season 3 and so will get it on DVD when it comes out in August, also in August the return of Mad Men to the small screen which I am also super excited about.
• I am weirdly tempted to get the new 90210 on DVD when it comes out this summer, good or bad decision? I do like teen shows such as The OC and Gossip Girl, but not ones like One Tree Hill and from what I have seen it does seem to fall in to the first category, and it has a Bluth in it.
• Speaking of teen drama, yesterday I started reading a Gossip Girl book, the prequel to be exact just to see how the TV show has evolved and deviated from the original source material. So far it is ok, not great, although I was surprised by the extreme attention to detail, but I guess it is this attention to materialistic items that the TV show can do in one shot that a book unfortunately needs sometimes excessive words to describe.
• On the book issue, I’m also considering reading a Kathy Reichs Bones book to see how different this is from the show. I also got extremely cheaply a Bones adapted novel not by Kathy Reichs but in the style of the show, so that will be intriguing (and potentially bad). I will write more on these when I get round to reading them.
• I also have the second volume of the Heroes graphic novel to read, I enjoyed the first volume so hopefully this second one will be just as good and perhaps fare better than the show has done of late.
• Also, thanks to Doc Jensen’s suggestion over at Entertainment Weekly for Lost inspired summer reading I am also tempted to read ‘Replay’ by Ken Grimwood.
• Other TV ideas that have been suggested include; over on Alan Sepinwall’s blog to rewatch Band Of Brothers which is by far one of my favourite programmes ever to appear on TV and over on Chucktv.net to watch Chuck from the start to keep focus on the show whilst it is on a long hiatus. I’m also going to start watching Lost from the beginning so to fill the Lost void that it the next eight or so months.

 

So this is my summer viewing/reading plan so far which I’m sure will adapt and have things added to it.

TV updates

So a few days after writing my piece on Fringe one of the cast members has been fired according to his facebook page. The cast member in question is Kirk Acevedo who plays Special Agent Charlie Francis, who I really liked in this role and thought he had good chemistry with Anna Torv. All other parties have declined to comment so far but there is a casting call out for a female FBI agent, who I would assume would be taking his place. Hopefully an explanation will be given and there will be a decent reason as to why his character will be leaving the Fringe team.

    Other TV updates include the end of American Idol, I didn’t really watch it this year after being hooked for the first time last season but I was definitely surprised to see that Adam Lambert didn’t win considering how much exposure he has been getting (even getting his own Entertainment Weekly cover story).

    I have also finally started to watch the American Office and have now almost finished season 3. I’m thoroughly enjoying it and will write a longer post on it when I have finished season 3. Really love the random pop culture references especially from Dwight, one of my favourite so far being his Alias reference (season 3 episode 14):

“Jim: Have you ever seen a stripper before?

Dwight: Yes, Jennifer Garner portrayed one on Alias. It was one of her many aliases.”

    I am also awaiting the delivery of Friday Night Lights season 3 on DVD which came out this week, really looking forward to watching some more Panther action.

Why 'Chuck' should be saved and why you should watch it (if you don't already).

It will soon be that time of year when the line up for next season will be announced (May is not that far away), so I thought I would get in there early and suggest why ‘Chuck’ should be featured in the NBC 2009-2010 schedule. The ratings for ‘Chuck’ haven’t been great which is why there has been some concern that it may get cancelled (a show in this precarious place is often called ‘on the bubble’). This is a worry for fans of ‘Chuck’ as the amount of scripted shows for NBC will be reduced next season due to Jay Leno’s talk show airing week nights at 10pm, which traditionally is an hour block reserved for original scripted programming. What I propose here is a list of reasons why ‘Chuck’ should be saved and why you should start watching it if you don’t already. Herein will be examples of the shows brilliance but I will try to keep them as non-spoilery as possible for those who haven’t but might start watching:

 

 

1. The character Chuck: In the pilot Chuck unwittingly downloaded all the US government’s secrets in to his brain (its sounds a little ridiculous but just go with it). He is a normal guy who works in an electronics store called Buy More and he lives with his sister Ellie and her appropriately nicknamed boyfriend ‘Captain Awesome’. Chuck is the kind of guy that would know how to combat the enemy on Call of Duty or if a virus has infiltrated your hard drive due to porn spam; but not in a real life situation which makes his entry into the world of espionage all the better. He certainly isn’t a Sydney Bristow or James Bond.
2. Supporting characters: these include his CIA/NSA handlers Sarah and Casey, the Buy More Crew (Morgan, Jeff, Lester, Anna and Big Mike) and his sister and ‘Awesome’  who are all integral to what makes ‘Chuck’ the show it is. The relationships with these characters range from ridiculous to the vital and it is this notion that Chuck is an important member of each unit, whether it is family, work or spy related that gives the show its heart.
3. ‘Chuck vs. the…’: each episode has our hero up against a series of potentially national security risking villains and it is in these moments that the action elements of the show kick in (no pun intended). Whether it is Sarah fighting someone in her underwear or Casey going at it against a former mentor the action sequences are always well done. Even when Chuck gets in on the action (usually with disastrous consequences), the line between action and comedy is always portrayed and keeps the show from slipping into beyond ridiculous territory. Also they do like to blow things up and trash a lot of cars.
4. Josh Schwartz: He is the co-creator of Chuck as well as the mastermind behind teen programmes The OC, Gossip Girl and of the new web series Rockville, CA. Chuck is the grown up Seth Cohen (and not as self-involved) and has the pop culture references to match. There is Chuck’s staple high top Converse and a TRON poster on his bedroom wall, as well as other multiple current and past (mostly 80s and 90s) nods to computer games, movies and music. As with the other Schwartz creations music is another important element, however this has not been thrust into the forefront of the promotion of the show as it was done with The OC and Gossip Girl, but has even featured a ‘Flight of the Concords’ track.
5. It’s funny: Yes there are fully fledged comedy shows out there if you want a guaranteed laugh, but each week ‘Chuck’ has me laughing throughout. It is a hard show to place in a genre as it is comedic, but also has action and dramatic elements; this could be a reason as to why it is quite a difficult programme to promote as there is not one genre that it can be pigeonholed as.  
6. Hot cast: From a purely superficial perspective there are some pretty hot people in the cast including Yvonne Strahovski (which aforementioned underwear fight sequences easily demonstrate this) and the adorkable Zachary Levi. If you like your men on the tough side who have a habit of communicating through snarls and grunts there is always Adam Baldwin (no relation to Billy or the rest of Baldwin family) as NSA agent John Casey, or if you like your women a bit more crazy there is always Julia Ling who plays Buy More worker and sometime Morgan girlfriend Anna. Captain Awesome and Ellie are also pretty good examples of the all American classic style (if a little vanilla) of hotness, this is best represented in the season 1 episode ‘Chuck vs. the sandworm’ when their Halloween costumes are Adam and Eve, definitely showed their physique.
7. Will they won’t they?: The romance between Chuck and Sarah is often frustrating but like any great relationship of this kind it is the anticipation of whether they will hook up that is what keeps people interested (as good as the daddy of all ‘will they won’t they relationships’ between Bruce ‘Bruno’ Willis and Cybil Shepard in the early seasons of Moonlighting). The fact that they have to pretend that they are dating is what turns this regular TV character device on its head and leads to many shenanigans so far. This cover relationship often produces scenes that are both funny and heartbreaking as it is obvious that if circumstances were different then they would be a pretty solid couple.
8. Guest stars: These guest spots have been pretty solid and cover a cross section of talent, from fanboy (Bruce Boxleitner of TRON and ‘Babylon 5’ fame), comedy legends (Chevy Chase) to the celebrities (Nicole Richie- who was actually pretty decent as Sarah’s former high school nemesis). There are many others including NFL players, Sports Illustrated swimsuit models as well as my own personal favourite ‘Lost’ alumni Dominic Monaghan and whilst some of these could be seen as stunt casting the guest stars never overshadow the overall quality and heart of the show that is Chuck himself. 

 

 So, there it is, my list of reasons why ‘Chuck’ should get a third season, if anyone can think of any others I would love to hear them. I keep mentioning the heart of ‘Chuck’ which might be due to me watching the first season of ‘Friday Night Lights’ (there’s a lot of ‘clear eyes, full heart’s, can’t lose’) in under a week and whilst I’m on that subject NBC could you also not cancel this show. But it is the heart of the ‘Chuck’ that I think is the factor that makes this show such a joy to watch and why I look forward to the next episode, hopefully you will too.

 

Chuck promo for the next new episode: ‘Chuck vs. the Predator’:

 

 

Some links for Chuck related sites:

 

http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/ The official site where you can watch previous episodes (if you live in the U.S.)

http://chucktv.net/ the oldest unofficial site for Chuck that is updated regularly with news, photos and other Chuck related goodies

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/chuck/ my favourite snarky website that has recaps and forums for Chuck as well as a huge amount of other shows

http://zachary-levi.net/ unofficial Zachary Levi site that has constant updates on the actor and the show

http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/ Alan Sepinwall’s blog that includes reviews and news on Chuck as well as many other great shows