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Buzz News Roundup, 11/21

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:15:22 -0800

Strike news: A huge number of actors will be recording PSAs in support of the writers on the LA Weekly's Deadline Hollywood Daily blog; the New York Times says some showrunners have returned to their non-writing duties; the LA Times says the strike could cost the city $20 million per day; and Variety has the news that directors have reached a deal that will probably keep them off the picket lines.
Billboard says Weezer will release a new album in April, while NME has the tracklist for frontman Rivers Cuomo's solo album.
David Hasselhoff may reprise his Knight Rider role for NBC's remake, Zap2it reports.
Cirque du Soleil will open a show in Hollywood starting in 2010, writes Variety.
TV Guide reports on a survey that says Americans wish Clair Huxtable were cooking their Thanksgiving dinner - and want to keep Peg Bundy away from the stove.
Fox has apologized for a Polish slur in an episode of Back to You, writes the New York Daily News.
Variety reports that advertisements for Shoot 'Em Up have been banned in the UK.

Back to You will be Back for More

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:26:05 -0700

The latest show to get a full-season pickup: Back to You, the Kelsey Grammer/Patricia Heaton comedy on Fox. The show was one of the first to be picked up by any network last spring, so I suppose it only makes sense that Fox would be standing by it now.

The network has ordered 11 more episodes of the show, bringing the total number of episodes to 24 for the season. Its ratings haven't been great - it hovers somewhere between 6.5 and 7 million viewers each week - but it's been consistent. And, as was recently pointed out with the pickup of Gossip Girl, networks are changing their standards for what's considered a hit show in the first place.

In other news:

ABC has ordered six more scripts of Samantha Who? The show is the No. 1 new comedy of the season and did almost as well in the ratings this week as it did in its premiere.
The CW wants three more Reaper scripts, even though this week's ratings were (gulp) a series low.

I'm a little surprised we haven't heard about any of the NBC shows yet. All of the other networks have picked up at least one key series (Back to You for Fox, Gossip Girl for the CW, Pushing Daisies and Private Practice for ABC, The Big Bang Theory for CBS). None of NBC's series has been a huge hit, but I figured at least one of them would have gotten the network's support by now.

TV Tonight: Welcome Back, TV!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:30:47 -0700

Finally! At long last, it's starting to get hard to decide what to watch on TV. While many shows don't start till next week, three networks have new shows premiering tonight, and most of them are worth a look:

Fox has the premiere of its new comedy "Back to You" and Gordan Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares," with a new episode of "'Til Death" sandwiched in bewteen.
CBS has the much-ballyhooed premiere of "Kid Nation"
The CW kicks off the new season of "America's Next Top Model," then follows it up with the first episode of "Gossip Girl."

Throw in a special on ABC about the character of Addison and the live finale of "Last Comic Standing" on NBC, and it's quite the night for the major networks. Me, I'll be checking out "Kid Nation," "ANTM" and "Gossip Girl." You? To watch video clips of each of the four brand-new shows making their debuts tonight, read more
"Gossip Girl":

"Kid Nation":

"Kitchen Nightmares":

"Back to You":

Photos courtesy of CBS, The CW and Fox

Pilot Watch: "Back to You"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:30:00 -0700

The networks have announced their fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? Throughout the summer, as I watch the pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: the Fox comedy "Back to You."

What's it about? A disgraced news anchor returns to the smaller market where he once was a superstar and must work again with his former co-anchor, who's not thrilled to have to share the spotlight with him.

Who's in it? Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard

The good: I'm an ex-"Fraiser" fan, and this show reminded me that I really do like Kelsey Grammer. For a traditional sitcom - and, don't get me wrong, it is very traditional - it had more laughs than I was expecting. It feels very professional, by which I mean that you can tell that everyone from the lead actors to the writers to the peripheral cast know what it takes to make a comedy work.

The bad: "Back to You" doesn't break any new ground; I've seen all these jokes and plot lines before. The pilot has a supposedly shocking twist that Fox begged reporters not to reveal, but it's the kind of thing that anyone over the age of 12 could figure out easily.

Will I watch? Doubtful, but not because it's bad, per se - it's just not my style.

To watch a video and see a gallery of photos, read more

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Photos courtesy of Fox

First Connecticut, Now Pennsylvania?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:30:00 -0700

A while back, I told you that Connecticut was becoming filmmaking's latest hot spot. Now, I'm wondering if Pennsylvania's next. Much to Sienna Miller's likely chagrin, filmmakers and TV producers haven't exactly fled the state ever since her famously nasty comments while filming The Mysteries of Pittsburgh there last year.

Instead, the upcoming Spike TV show "The Kill Point" recently spent more than two months filming in Pittsburgh, and the state legislature is considering implementing tax breaks - like those that have helped push filmmakers to Connecticut - for productions that choose to locate in the state.

But that may not be the only reason producers have The Keystone State on the brain these days. Quite a few current and upcoming TV shows are set throughout the state - even if they're not actively filming there. Consider:

"The Office," which is responsible for putting Scranton on the map, is sending a producer to Scranton to look for local businesses, goods and services to feature on the show, from vending machine snacks to notepads that could appear on a character's desk.
"Back to You," a new Fox show starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as newscasters, is set in Pittsburgh - and will be paired on the schedule with the Eastern Pennsylvania-set Brad Garrett sitcom "Til Death."

More PA goodies, so read more

TNT's "Heartland" focuses on transplant surgeons at a fictional Pittsburgh hospital.
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" - which states its connection to the state right in its title - is set to return to TV in September.

Sheesh. I wonder which underappreciated state will be next?

Photo courtesy of Philip R. Cloutier

Get a Sneak Peek of the New Fox Shows!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 23:30:28 -0700

Thanks to Fox, we now have sneak previews of that network's new fall shows, to add to the clips we've already seen from ABC, NBC, CBS and the CW. I'm eager to hear what you think of these clips, so get watching!

"New Amsterdam" (pictured above)
I still think this story of an immortal detective is the strangest of Fox's shows.

"The Return of Jezebel James"
Somehow, I think this would be much better without the laugh track.

I've got clips from the other Fox shows plus lots of photos, so read more

"Back to You
I must admit, I do kind of like Kelsey Grammer.

"Canterbury's Law"

"Sarah Connor Chronicles"
I wonder if you have to be really into the Terminator movies to like this?

"K-Ville"

"The Rules for Starting Over"
I wonder when I'll stop seeing Rashida as Karen from "The Office"?

"K-Ville"

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"New Amsterdam"

View 4 Photos ›

"Back to You"

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"Canterbury's Law"

View 5 Photos ›

"The Return of Jezebel James"

View 4 Photos ›

"Sarah Connor Chronicles"

View 6 Photos ›

"The Rules for Starting Over"

View 4 Photos ›

Photos and video courtesy of Fox

Movie Preview: Ben Stiller Plays It Straight in Greenberg

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:41 -0800

I have a love/hate relationship with Ben Stiller movies. Over the years, I've grown tired of seeing him in the same everyman role again and again (with a few exceptions, like There's Something About Mary), but every now and then he throws a curve ball that pulls me back in. Greenberg already looks like one of the latter films.

The upcoming indie movie from The Squid and the Whale director Noah Baumbach follows Roger Greenberg, a middle-aged New Yorker who heads to LA and decides to "do nothing" in an attempt to figure out his life. The movie looks like it could be a tearjerker, but maybe that's just because LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" is playing in the background. (The band's James Murphy lends a few new songs to the movie). Rhys Ifans is Roger's best friend while Greta Gerwig is the woman he befriends and beds. If you're ready to see Stiller take a break from slapstick, check out the trailer when you read more.

House Rundown, "Ignorance is Bliss"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:30:45 -0800

With Cameron gone, the new (old) team is still working out the kinks in this week's House - and it feels like the writers aren't sure where the show's going either. The episode tackles a genius patient with what appears to be TTP, Thanksgiving, and House and Cuddy all in one swoop. And while the doc is back to acting like a selfish jerk following his recent good behavior, I didn't even find his quips that amusing. If anything, the episode felt like a downer!

Okay, so I know these are harsh words, so perhaps I'm not giving this week a fair trial. Let's go over the highlights, and tell me what you think when you read more.

The team gathers around the table to start hypothesizing, but to me it feels off without Cameron there. I'll give the writers the benefit of the doubt since it's the first week with the updated crew, but don't you agree?
We get it Chase - you're upset. He huffs and puffs and refuses invitations from Taub, Foreman, and Thirteen for friendly help. Then House refers to Cameron as Chase's "ex-smarter half" and gets punched. I want to be sympathetic to Chase because of his split from Cameron, but with that attitude? Forget it.
House needs to get Cuddy off the brain stat. He announces to Wilson that he's going to break up her relationship with Lucas, and then starts plotting ways to get invited to Thanksgiving dinner to see his plan through. Cuddy gives him the address where the meal is taking place, but (surprise!) the house is empty. I was shocked that she gave him faux info! Do you think it's too mean, or does he deserve it?
After being rejected, House gets drunk and breaks into Lucas's place to confess his love for Cuddy. Seriously. (He says to Lucas, "I'm pathetic," and I couldn't agree more.) The next day, Cuddy tells House that Lucas broke up with her over the incident - until we later find out that she's lying to get him to lay off. It seems like House might leave her alone by the end of the episode. Do you think he's finally giving up? And do you think his intoxicated act was real or fake? He tries to make it sound planned, but I'm not 100 percent sure.
While House and Cuddy were weighing down the show with sadder stuff, Taub and his wife brought a bit of comic relief. She's stopped sleeping with him, because she thinks he's a wuss for going back to House. But once Taub passes off a photo of House's black eye as his own handiwork – instead of Chase's - she basically jumps him!
The medical mystery involving a former genius who dumbs himself down, so he can love his "happy and dumb" wife (his words, not mine) is relatively interesting - even though I snarled at his comments about her stupidity. First they think he has TTP, but the problem is actually an old injury where he broke three ribs causing his spleen to split. Come on, 16 spleens?! I know I'm a dork, but that's pretty cool. Next time writers, less Cuddy skirt-chasing, more stuff like this.

Okay, so time for your assessment - what did you think of the episode? Isn't the House and Cuddy storyline starting to wear thin? (Even I'm over it, and I was rooting for them before!) And how do you like the team now that Cameron's dunzo?

If you're a fan of the show, check out the House! group in community!

Photos courtesy of Fox

Buzz Gift Guide: For the Geeky Guy in Your Life

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:30:11 -0800

Guys may seem tough to shop for, but in the end there are a few (almost) universally accepted gifts - like DVDs. Luckily I've tucked a few of those into my latest installment of holiday gift guides. This one is dedicated to the geeky guys out there, whether it's your boyfriend, brother, or super cool uncle.

To get you started, I've picked up the first five seasons of Lost on DVD - now he can go back and analyze seasons before the big season six premiere, or get into the show for the first time. If you're still feeling uninspired, be sure to check out all of the great holiday content across the PopSugar Network.

Are You Excited About Avatar?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:30:54 -0800

Rabid fans everywhere have been waiting for the release of James Cameron's Avatar literally for years, and now there are just a few weeks to go. Back at Comic-Con, I got a long look at the movie, and I have to admit it that I wanted more after 30 minutes of footage. On the other hand, many of my friends and co-workers seem disinterested in the project entirely, especially with so many other anticipated movies hitting the theaters in December (more on that later this week). Check out a new clip below, and tell me where you stand - are you excited about Avatar?