see kyle draw

May 17, 2007

[upfront & center] ^{1:53 PM}

Soccer fans have the World Cup, TV Fans have the May Upfronts, in which networks announce their fall (and midseason) slates. Here's what my DVR will look like:

You and I both know that after two weeks of viewing, this chart will sadly shrink considerably.

ABC

Pushing Daisies
Premise: A man discovers his touch can bring the dead back to life -- but they die again if he touches them a second time. Stars: Lee Pace ("Wonderfalls"), Anna Friel ("The Jury"), Kristin Chenoweth ("The West Wing"), Chi McBride ("The Nine"), Swoosie Kurtz ("Huff"), Jim Dale ("Pete's Dragon"!!)

I've only met creator Bryan Fuller once, and in that time I wasn't able to tell him how I still routinely watch my Wonderfalls dvds and that he most likely single-handedly saved Heroes for me. If we ignore the fact that Barry Sonnenfeld is one of the EP's, then I can state that the cast and crew alone make this my most anticipated show of the new season. I'm going to pull all my strings to get a copy of the pilot ASAP.

Miss/Guided
Premise: A woman who was unpopular in high school returns to her alma mater as a guidance counselor. Stars: Judy Friggin' Greer

Celebrity sightings are so common in LA (it's true if you live here and have an encyclopedic knowledge of character actors) that I'm rarely impressed by tales of Who-Saw-Who where. One WSW that did get me was when Boy saw Judy Greer one day at Starbucks. They have the same phone and were being nerds. It's a good thing I wasn't there, or I might've started quoting 13 Going on 30.

The show looks like a weird hybrid of Freaks & Geeks and The Office, but when you think about it, that's a pretty darn cool hybrid to make.

Eli Stone
Premise: A lawyer becomes convinced he's a modern-day prophet. Stars: Jonny Lee Miller ("Smith"), Natasha Henstridge ("Commander in Chief"), Loretta Devine ("Grey's Anatomy"), Victor Garber ("Alias")

I'll try anything from Greg Berlanti with Jonny Lee Miller and Victor Garber once, and the entire time I'll most likely be pacing back and forth wondering how he's going to run Eli Stone without Brothers & Sisters going down in flames.

Women's Murder Club
Premise: Four friends in San Francisco combine their talents to solve murder cases; based on novels by James Patterson. Stars: Angie Harmon ("Law & Order")

I've never read a James Patterson book or seen a JP-based movie, but I'm always on the lookout for a new watch-out-of-the-corner-of-my-eye procedural. Maybe it will be enjoyably disposable like Without a Trace, or maybe it will be painful like Crossing Jordan.

NBC

Bionic Woman
Premise: A remake of the 1970s series about a young woman who receives advanced, super-powered prosthetics after a traumatic accident. Stars: Michelle Ryan

Wow, what a lame trailer. Of course, the only good action/adventure pilot I've ever seen has been Alias, so you sort of have to give these things a pass. I want it to be good, I really do. I'll give it three episodes to find it's legs, but it's going to have to work pretty hard to be different and new. We're in a post-Buffy/Alias/Dark Angel/Heroes world, and you need more than a pretty lady with powers and some angst to impress me.

Chuck
Premise: A tech-support worker becomes the government's newest asset when a massive spy database is embedded in his brain. Stars: Zachary Levi ("Less Than Perfect"), Adam Baldwin ("Firefly")

Again, I really want to like it, but I can't help but think back to Jake 2.0 on UPN.

FOX

The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Premise: Filling in the gaps between the second and third "Terminator" films, Sarah Connor and her son John, humanity's future savior, must fight to stay alive in a dangerous world full of threats both from the present and the future. Stars: Lena Headey ("300"), Thomas Dekker ("Heroes"), Summer Glau ("Firefly")

One friend who's read the pilot said it's great, while the other who's seen it said it was OK. I'm inclined to believe both equally. One of the few "sure things" on the development slate, this puppy has an uphill battle when it comes to fanboys, but hey, if Smallville can get 7 seasons...

The Return of Jezebel James
Premise: A busy book editor has to turn to her estranged younger sister to carry her baby. Stars: Parker Posey ("The House of Yes"), Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under")

Much like West Wing, Gilmore Girls started slumping its 4th season, then its creator (and creative voice) left. Hopefully Jezebel James isn't Amy Sherman-Pallidino's Studio 60. Hopefully the rapid-fire neurotic powerhouses of Posey and Ambrose will be firing on all cylinders and we get a giant bundle of wit and snark on a weekly basis. Fingers are firmly crossed.

Speaking of Gilmore Girls, that ~~season~~ series finale was like fanfic by committee. Three tender moments do not make a worthy finale to show that used to have such a gigantic heart.

New Amsterdam
Premise: John Amsterdam in the 17th century and served as a Dutch solider in the colony of New Amsterdam. That makes it really strange that in 2007, he's still working as a New York City homicide detective. Funny what a little immortality will do. Stars: Who is Nikolaj Coster-Waldau?

The first novel published after 9/11 to address the attacks was a book called "Forever" by Pete Hamill, and is summarized as such: "Cormac O'Connor arrived in New York in 1741-and he's still there, having been granted immortality as long as he remains on the island of Manhattan." As far as I know the book and show are unrelated aside from their great premises. I couldn't really get into the book (now often seen on bargain tables at big chains), but hopefully the show will offer something more.

CBS

Moonlight
Premise: A vampire for 60 years, Mick St. James works as a private investigator, dealing with the difficulties of immortality, a slew of undead adversaries and his love for a mortal woman. Stars: Alex O'Loughlin ("The Shield")

Look! Its Angel + Forever Knight + Moonlighting = Moonlight! Get it? I don't. I feel like there's some unspoken rule that I have to watch any show that promises me a vampire, but I'm left feeling a little cold about this one.

Viva Laughlin
Premise: Based on the BBC format "Viva Blackpool," a man's dream of opening a casino in Laughlin, Nevada is compromised by his family, his rivals and his involvement in a murder investigation. Musical numbers unexpectedly ensue. Stars: Lloyd Owen ("Miss Potter"), Madchen Amick ("Twin Peaks"), P.J. Byrne ("The Game"), Carter Jenkins ("Surface"), Eric Winter ("Wildfire"), Ellen Woglom, D.B. Woodside ("24") and guest starring Melanie Griffith ("Twins") and Hugh Jackman ("The Prestige")

Anything that looks this weird needs to be seen at least once.

The CW

Reaper
Premise: Sam's parents never asked much of him, allowing him to become the best slacker he could be. It turns out, they didn't expect any future for him because they had already sold his soul to the devil, who wants Sam as his new bounty hunter. Stars: Bret Harrison ("Grounded for Life," "The Loop"), Ray Wise ("24")

Tricky. It has one of my few TV crushses (Harrison) and one of my TV pet peeves (Jack-Black-Lite Tyler Labine from "Invasion"). More often that not, genre stuff has played well on The WB CW, but we'll see if its actually clever or just a clever idea (Hi, Eureka, how are you?).

Gossip Girl
Premise: Based on the books of the same name that revolve around the lives of privileged Manhattan prep school teens whose scandalous lives are revealed online by the mysterious blogger known only as Gossip Girl. Stars: pretty girls

I'll admit that a big part of me thinks this looks really lame, while another part feels like this could be the most successful Sex and the City non-spinoff of the season (sorry Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia). Plus we'll still get to hear Kristen Bell's voice on The CW now that Veronic Mars is dearly departaed. Sigh.

If you're wondering where my write-up of Private Practice is, let me just tell you that even thought I adore Tim Daly, I hated the backdoor pilot. I also should note, the backdoor pilot was also the first Grey's I've watched since the show got ridiculous with the February Ferry arc. At least Lost got good again (as it always does at the end of the year).

Now I'll leave you with a larger version of that dreamy undeadifying Lee Pace:



	« northern lights \| Main \| script review: nim's island » May 17, 2007 [upfront & center] ^{1:53 PM} Soccer fans have the World Cup, TV Fans have the May Upfronts, in which networks announce their fall (and midseason) slates. Here's what my DVR will look like: You and I both know that after two weeks of viewing, this chart will sadly shrink considerably. ABC Pushing Daisies Premise: A man discovers his touch can bring the dead back to life -- but they die again if he touches them a second time. Stars: Lee Pace ("Wonderfalls"), Anna Friel ("The Jury"), Kristin Chenoweth ("The West Wing"), Chi McBride ("The Nine"), Swoosie Kurtz ("Huff"), Jim Dale ("Pete's Dragon"!!) I've only met creator Bryan Fuller once, and in that time I wasn't able to tell him how I still routinely watch my Wonderfalls dvds and that he most likely single-handedly saved Heroes for me. If we ignore the fact that Barry Sonnenfeld is one of the EP's, then I can state that the cast and crew alone make this my most anticipated show of the new season. I'm going to pull all my strings to get a copy of the pilot ASAP. Miss/Guided Premise: A woman who was unpopular in high school returns to her alma mater as a guidance counselor. Stars: Judy Friggin' Greer Celebrity sightings are so common in LA (it's true if you live here and have an encyclopedic knowledge of character actors) that I'm rarely impressed by tales of Who-Saw-Who where. One WSW that did get me was when Boy saw Judy Greer one day at Starbucks. They have the same phone and were being nerds. It's a good thing I wasn't there, or I might've started quoting 13 Going on 30. The show looks like a weird hybrid of Freaks & Geeks and The Office, but when you think about it, that's a pretty darn cool hybrid to make. Eli Stone Premise: A lawyer becomes convinced he's a modern-day prophet. Stars: Jonny Lee Miller ("Smith"), Natasha Henstridge ("Commander in Chief"), Loretta Devine ("Grey's Anatomy"), Victor Garber ("Alias") I'll try anything from Greg Berlanti with Jonny Lee Miller and Victor Garber once, and the entire time I'll most likely be pacing back and forth wondering how he's going to run Eli Stone without Brothers & Sisters going down in flames. Women's Murder Club Premise: Four friends in San Francisco combine their talents to solve murder cases; based on novels by James Patterson. Stars: Angie Harmon ("Law & Order") I've never read a James Patterson book or seen a JP-based movie, but I'm always on the lookout for a new watch-out-of-the-corner-of-my-eye procedural. Maybe it will be enjoyably disposable like Without a Trace, or maybe it will be painful like Crossing Jordan. NBC Bionic Woman Premise: A remake of the 1970s series about a young woman who receives advanced, super-powered prosthetics after a traumatic accident. Stars: Michelle Ryan Wow, what a lame trailer. Of course, the only good action/adventure pilot I've ever seen has been Alias, so you sort of have to give these things a pass. I want it to be good, I really do. I'll give it three episodes to find it's legs, but it's going to have to work pretty hard to be different and new. We're in a post-Buffy/Alias/Dark Angel/Heroes world, and you need more than a pretty lady with powers and some angst to impress me. Chuck Premise: A tech-support worker becomes the government's newest asset when a massive spy database is embedded in his brain. Stars: Zachary Levi ("Less Than Perfect"), Adam Baldwin ("Firefly") Again, I really want to like it, but I can't help but think back to Jake 2.0 on UPN. FOX The Sarah Connor Chronicles Premise: Filling in the gaps between the second and third "Terminator" films, Sarah Connor and her son John, humanity's future savior, must fight to stay alive in a dangerous world full of threats both from the present and the future. Stars: Lena Headey ("300"), Thomas Dekker ("Heroes"), Summer Glau ("Firefly") One friend who's read the pilot said it's great, while the other who's seen it said it was OK. I'm inclined to believe both equally. One of the few "sure things" on the development slate, this puppy has an uphill battle when it comes to fanboys, but hey, if Smallville can get 7 seasons... The Return of Jezebel James Premise: A busy book editor has to turn to her estranged younger sister to carry her baby. Stars: Parker Posey ("The House of Yes"), Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under") Much like West Wing, Gilmore Girls started slumping its 4th season, then its creator (and creative voice) left. Hopefully Jezebel James isn't Amy Sherman-Pallidino's Studio 60. Hopefully the rapid-fire neurotic powerhouses of Posey and Ambrose will be firing on all cylinders and we get a giant bundle of wit and snark on a weekly basis. Fingers are firmly crossed. Speaking of Gilmore Girls, that ~~season~~ series finale was like fanfic by committee. Three tender moments do not make a worthy finale to show that used to have such a gigantic heart. New Amsterdam Premise: John Amsterdam in the 17th century and served as a Dutch solider in the colony of New Amsterdam. That makes it really strange that in 2007, he's still working as a New York City homicide detective. Funny what a little immortality will do. Stars: Who is Nikolaj Coster-Waldau? The first novel published after 9/11 to address the attacks was a book called "Forever" by Pete Hamill, and is summarized as such: "Cormac O'Connor arrived in New York in 1741-and he's still there, having been granted immortality as long as he remains on the island of Manhattan." As far as I know the book and show are unrelated aside from their great premises. I couldn't really get into the book (now often seen on bargain tables at big chains), but hopefully the show will offer something more. CBS Moonlight Premise: A vampire for 60 years, Mick St. James works as a private investigator, dealing with the difficulties of immortality, a slew of undead adversaries and his love for a mortal woman. Stars: Alex O'Loughlin ("The Shield") Look! Its Angel + Forever Knight + Moonlighting = Moonlight! Get it? I don't. I feel like there's some unspoken rule that I have to watch any show that promises me a vampire, but I'm left feeling a little cold about this one. Viva Laughlin Premise: Based on the BBC format "Viva Blackpool," a man's dream of opening a casino in Laughlin, Nevada is compromised by his family, his rivals and his involvement in a murder investigation. Musical numbers unexpectedly ensue. Stars: Lloyd Owen ("Miss Potter"), Madchen Amick ("Twin Peaks"), P.J. Byrne ("The Game"), Carter Jenkins ("Surface"), Eric Winter ("Wildfire"), Ellen Woglom, D.B. Woodside ("24") and guest starring Melanie Griffith ("Twins") and Hugh Jackman ("The Prestige") Anything that looks this weird needs to be seen at least once. The CW Reaper Premise: Sam's parents never asked much of him, allowing him to become the best slacker he could be. It turns out, they didn't expect any future for him because they had already sold his soul to the devil, who wants Sam as his new bounty hunter. Stars: Bret Harrison ("Grounded for Life," "The Loop"), Ray Wise ("24") Tricky. It has one of my few TV crushses (Harrison) and one of my TV pet peeves (Jack-Black-Lite Tyler Labine from "Invasion"). More often that not, genre stuff has played well on The WB CW, but we'll see if its actually clever or just a clever idea (Hi, Eureka, how are you?). Gossip Girl Premise: Based on the books of the same name that revolve around the lives of privileged Manhattan prep school teens whose scandalous lives are revealed online by the mysterious blogger known only as Gossip Girl. Stars: pretty girls I'll admit that a big part of me thinks this looks really lame, while another part feels like this could be the most successful Sex and the City non-spinoff of the season (sorry Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia). Plus we'll still get to hear Kristen Bell's voice on The CW now that Veronic Mars is dearly departaed. Sigh. If you're wondering where my write-up of Private Practice is, let me just tell you that even thought I adore Tim Daly, I hated the backdoor pilot. I also should note, the backdoor pilot was also the first Grey's I've watched since the show got ridiculous with the February Ferry arc. At least Lost got good again (as it always does at the end of the year). Now I'll leave you with a larger version of that dreamy undeadifying Lee Pace:

May 17, 2007

[upfront & center] 1:53 PM

[upfront & center] ^{1:53 PM}