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Where Are the Best Roles for Actresses: TV or Movies?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:30:00 -0700

Considering that television holds second-rate status to film in a lot of people's minds, it's amazing to think of all of the stellar silver screen actresses who are currently working on TV. In a recent panel organized by The Hollywood Reporter, a whole bunch of them - including Sigourney Weaver, Regina King, January Jones, Anna Paquin, Rose Byrne, and Mary McDonnell - talked about the great roles available for women on the small screen right now.

That got me wondering if TV is providing actresses with better opportunities than film. But then there are actresses like Kate Winslet, who prove that meaty, interesting movie roles for women are still out there.

Take a look at this discussion and then tell me: Are the best roles for women on TV right now? Or are women getting more interesting opportunities in the movies?

Buzz News Roundup, 3/23

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:30:13 -0700

The Coen Brothers are planning a remake of the John Wayne film True Grit. - Zap2it
Mary McDonnell is joining The Closer for several episodes to go head-to-head with Kyra Sedgwick's character. - Entertainment Weekly
Speaking of which, here's a rundown of what's coming up at Sci Fi – er, Syfy - post-Battlestar Galactica. - The Hollywood Reporter
Two Jimi Hendrix albums and some live DVD footage are expected to be released later this year. - Billboard
DirecTV will begin airing more canceled shows, including Smith and The Nine. - Variety
A biopic of Steve McQueen is in the works. - The Hollywood Reporter
Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain has reportedly left Smashing Pumpkins. - New York Times
Chad Michael Murray says One Tree Hill doesn't want him anymore. - E!

Source and Source

Grey's Anatomy Rundown: Episode 8, "These Ties That Bind"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:30:23 -0800

Ohhh-kay. This week's Grey's Anatomy has left me confused, like I tumbled down the Seattle Grace rabbit hole and came up in a world where nothing made any sense. Whether it was the departure of Hahn, the arrival of Meredith's old backpacking buddy, the trouble everyone had relating to the new heart surgeon, or Izzie's struggles with Denny's memory, there's a lot to try to make sense of. Want to try to puzzle through it with me? Just read more.

Gotta start with Izzie. She's still seeing the ghost of Denny, and not least because she's working on her second heart transplant patient in a row. This one, at least, is a man who knows from ghosts: He's a Native American who believes his body is being haunted by the spirit of his first heart donor. While he kicks Izzie off his case (he's got enough ghosts of his own), he also advises Izzie to get rid of anything she still has of Denny's, which is how Alex comes to burn that maroon sweater in the fireplace. And yet . . . when Izzie retreats to her room, Denny's still there, and when she touches him, he's real. Now, there was a little part of me thinking, "Denny's real! Izzie and Denny! Love forever!" But the much bigger part of me was thinking, "Huh?" Leaving aside the rumors that might have been bandied about and squarely denied - if Izzie can touch Denny, then there's something wrong with Izzie, right? She says so herself in this episode. Is she dead? Dying? Going through some kind of prolonged mental breakdown?

Then, we have our newbies. Starting with Virginia Dixon: I get that these are surgeons, not mental health professionals, but really, nobody recognizes the symptoms of Asperger's? I loved the way she sticks it to Bailey in the end, saying she knows she was manipulated. And I appreciate that Grey's is trying to do a story about a disorder that affects so many people, but I'm afraid this could be one of the things the show thinks it can do better than it actually can. And besides that, if Dixon is a character whose central trait is her inability to connect, will we be able to connect with her?

Then there's Sadie. First of all, Melissa George looks a lot like Katherine Heigl, which the Grey's conspiracy theorist in me couldn't help but focus on. Second, I do want to know what Meredith was like before she became the whiny, lovestruck surgeon we've come to love/loathe, so I'll be curious to learn about the "adventures of Death and Die" (er, I assume ~~Mere~~dith and Sadie). But that whole thing with her taking off her top and slicing open her shoulder? Not sure I'm liking where that's going. Also, does it make any sense that an intern would just show up in the middle of a year?

Some other stuff happened, too:

Hahn's departure is certainly not explained. All we really get is Callie sobbing in the ER because she's been channeling all her psychic pain into reconstructing legs for a man who will never get to use them. I wash my hands of that story.
Owen Hunt continues to be a redeeming factor, but he's also . . . a little scary? Talk about psychic pain. That kiss with Cristina was both incredibly hot and borderline violent.
The sketchy intern surgery clinic is more or less found out, thanks to Lexie's multitude of band-aids that lead people to believe she's "a secret cutter."
Derek's dispatched to tell Sloan not to put "Little Sloan" in "Little Grey," which is best for Mark's response: "OK, that's just creepy. And inaccurate. Big Sloan!"

Lots to discuss, so let's get to it. What's wrong with Izzie? Are Dixon and Sadie good additions? And wouldn't burning Denny's sweater in the fireplace just make the whole house haunted?

Sneak a Peek at the New Grey's Docs

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:30:30 -0800

Grey's Anatomy will welcome two new characters this week, just a week after the sudden departure of Brooke Smith's Dr. Hahn. We've already heard a bit about the two, Sadie and Dr. Virgina Dixon, but this is the first time we'll get to look at them walking the halls of Seattle Grace.

By the way, Kevin McKidd's Dr. Owen Hunt was officially made a regular character - like there was any doubt! - so we'll have him around to treat wounds and complain about the residents' attitudes for a while longer. Will either Melissa George's Sadie or Mary McDonnell's Virginia end up on the show full-time? To watch clips of each actress talking about her character and interacting with the rest of the Grey's gang, read more.

Photos courtesy of ABC, Inc.

Meet the Three New Grey's Anatomy Docs

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:31:16 -0800

Kevin McKidd's Dr. Owen Hunt (that's "McArmy" to me) made his return to Grey's Anatomy in the most recent episode, but he's far from the only new doctor we'll be seeing around Seattle Grace this year. In fact, three female docs will be joining the cast in the coming weeks, staying for at least three episodes each - and possibly longer. Want to meet the newbies? Just read more.

Sadie
Played by Melissa George of Alias, Sadie makes her first appearance in the Nov. 13 episode of Grey's. She's an old friend of Meredith's and a new intern in Seattle who ruffles some feathers among Mere's resident friends. She's bisexual, and she's a character who likes to walk on the wild side. (Update: For the latest on that part of Sadie's story, check out this post.) She also has some big secret with Meredith. Huh, think they killed a guy? She'll be around for at least four episodes.

Dr. Virginia Dixon
Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica steps in starting Nov. 13 as a cardiac surgeon who comes in to help fill the hole left by Preston Burke. (I thought that was Erica Hahn's job?) She's incredibly skilled in the OR, but socially, it's another story: She has Asperger's syndrome, which makes interacting with people a challenge. I'm curious to see how Grey's handles this character and issue; so far, McDonnell says there's no romance in Virginia's future, but that may depend on how long she sticks around. She's signed on for three episodes for now.

Dr. Arizona Robbins
What a name, huh? Starting later this season, Jessica Capshaw (of The L Word and The Practice) will join the Seattle Grace team as a pediatrician who "winds up butting heads with Dr. Bailey" when she's called to consult on a case. She's also signed on for three episodes, though the LA Times reports that could turn into more.

So, what do you think? Too many new characters - or just the right amount of fresh blood? And which character do you think has the best chance of sticking around long-term?

Buzz News Roundup, 9/24

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:32:35 -0700

Lifetime just paid a whole lot of money for the reruns of How I Met Your Mother. - Hollywood Reporter
Bruce Willis will make his directorial debut with the indie psychological drama Three Stories About Joan. - ComingSoon
Billy Crystal will join Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, and Julie Andrews in the comedy Tooth Fairy. - Variety
Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica will guest star on Grey's Anatomy. - E! Online
A recent study shows that there are more than double the number of gay and bisexual characters in prime-time TV series this Fall compared with last year. - AP
Fox has picked up the series Lie to Me, starring Tim Roth, for midseason. - TV Guide
Kanye West is teaming up with Comedy Central for "a project described as hip-hop meets the Muppets." - Billboard

Photo courtesy of CBS