BuzzSugar

Movie Preview: Gerard Butler in Gamer

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:30:53 -0700

Labor Day weekend is still technically Summer, and Gamer, set for release September 4 and starring Gerard Butler, looks like a total Summer action flick. Its concept is kind of disturbing - set in the future, people play a video game called "Slayers" where they manipulate real-life prisoners in battle. Of course, the "soldiers," led by Butler, feel like slaves and it's clear that it's only a matter of time before they break out of the game.

It's a relief to see Butler back in action mode, rather than in half-baked rom-coms, but I'm more intrigued by Michael C. Hall as the eccentric billionaire who thought up the "Slayers" game. Check out that Southern-fried accent! Ludacris, Kyra Sedgwick, and Amber Valletta also star.

To see the trailer, just read more.

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

2009 Comic-Con: Michael C. Hall, John Lithgow and a Preview of Dexter's Season 4

BuzzSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:30:40 -0700

At Comic-Con's Dexter panel, we not only got a glimpse of season four with a fairly extensive preview (the video of which I've included after the jump), but we got to hear from the show's producers and actors - including new addition John Lithgow. Lithgow's character is chilling indeed, even from the brief snippets we see of him in the preview. And Lithgow is pleased as punch to be playing such a scary villain.

The video after the jump is great - very funny in a serial-murderer-gently-holding-a-baby kind of way. Before that, though, some highlights from Thursday's panel:

Michael C. Hall addressed the challenge of being both funny and scary: "Well, it’s hard. That has so much to do with what’s written for the character. I think the writers manage to infuse the show with a certain degree of levity and humor and without that I think it wouldn’t be so palatable." He likes playing a character that has such humor but who "also stabs people in the heart."
Julie Benz said of her character, Rita: "Her journey, the strength that she has gained through her love and her relationship with Dexter has been beautiful." Though she also said it’s like watching "a train wreck about to happen" because Dexter is, you know, a serial killer.
The producers chatted a little about Dexter being in other countries now, and Michael C. Hall explained a difference between Europe and America's understanding of the show: In America people remark that Dexter's bad because "he's killing people," but then someone points out that he's killing murderers and Americans basically nod and are like, "yeah, you're right." In Europe they reply, "Yeah, but he's still killing people!"

More Dexter goodness if you read more.

Moderator: "John, I have to say it's great to see you being bad again."
John Lithgow: "It's good to be bad. . . . I'm proud as can be of Third Rock From the Sun, but it’s nice to put it in its place and move on," he said with a grin.
Michael C. Hall talked about going from playing David Fischer on Six Feet Under to playing Dexter: "You know, if you’re gonna play two characters, I can’t think of a better two." And after playing David for so long, "it is a relief, you know, David was a wonderful character but it is good to play a character who’s more of a go-getter, a bit more proactive."
One of the producers responded to a question about the show's occasional inclusion of comic book characters and references: "It wasn't a conscious decision, one of our writers, Tim Schlattmann, is kind of a comic book geek . . . and Tim wrote the 'Dark Defender' episode. And there is a superhero aspect to who Dexter is . . . like Clark Kent . . . so it’s not a conscious decision on our part but it is a natural [thing]."
Michael C. Hall was asked what scene or episode really freaked him out: "I would say, the tenth episode of the first season, doing the face plant into that room full of blood . . . I mean, it was fun, it brought back memories of Slip-n-Slide, but that was pretty heavy. But honestly, nothing really freaks me out."
John Lithgow talked more about how "elated" he is to be a part of Dexter: "I'd seen snippets of Dexter . . . I really had not seen the show, but I heard a fantastic pitch . . . to persuade me to take this part, they had me on the edge of my seat. [Now] I’m the only one on this set who knows what happens . . . I could say two sentences here right now that would make the building explode!" And now that he has watched the whole series thus far, "I absolutely love the show and I'm elated to be a part of it."

And now . . . a preview of season four!

Photo courtesy of Showtime

Dexter to Slay Showtime Twice More

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:32:58 -0700

Dexter Morgan's got a little more killing to do on Showtime. The network has just picked up two more seasons of Dexter, ensuring it will be around at least through season five.

The third season is airing right now on Showtime. Season four will start shooting in the Spring in Los Angeles.

Dexter's already broken a ton of records for Showtime: It's the network's highest-rated drama, and on DVD, it's the network's best-selling show. It's also gotten boatloads of critical acclaim and nabbed five Emmy nominations this year. In a statement, Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt said:

"I thought at best we would attract a devoted cult audience but soon realized that, ironically, this show is so thematically rich and layered with humanity that audiences of all kinds have flocked to it."

So, Dexter fans, are you glad you won't have to say goodbye to your favorite serial killer anytime soon? Do you think the show has enough good material for another two seasons?

Photo courtesy of Showtime

CBS Starts Recruiting Viewers for Dexter

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:31:36 -0800

The first season of Dexter will begin airing on CBS Feb. 17, and CBS is ramping up its efforts to recruit viewers over to the dark side. A bunch of new promos have popped up on the network's YouTube channel over the past day or so, and it's interesting to see how CBS is marketing the quirky, bloody Showtime series to network viewers.

They're not steering clear of the blood, that's for sure. One of the videos, a rundown of things to expect if you've never seen Dexter before, even starts with a semi-obnoxious voice shouting out the show's common elements: "Bodies! Blood! Guns! More blood!" (For the record, that two-minute video goes on to include things like "Haircuts!" and "Walking!" I'm not sure if it's awful or totally brilliant in that "made for the YouTube generation" sort of way.)

Another video contrasts Dexter's happy, innocent side with his crazy, murderous side, and the third one is basically a love letter from the show's women to Michael C. Hall. I'm wondering, if you've never seen Dexter before, would any of these promos make you want to check it out? To watch the videos, just read more.

Photo courtesy of Showtime

Will You Watch Dexter Edited for CBS?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:30:10 -0800

As was speculated earlier, the Showtime series Dexter is heading to CBS to patch some holes left by the writers' strike. The first-season premiere will air Feb. 17 at 10 p.m., with the next 11 episodes from the first season filling that time slot for the following 11 weeks. It's the first time a full season of a cable series has been broadcast on network TV.

So here's my question: Will you watch an edited-for-network-TV version of the serial killer series? Or would you rather hold out for the real thing?

Photo courtesy of Showtime

TV Tonight: Dexter and Extras

BuzzSugar — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 11:00:00 -0800

It's a big night for finales on cable TV, as Dexter wraps up its second season and Extras finishes its run forever with a movie-length special.

(Side note: If these two shows were a celebrity couple, everyone would totally call them "Dextras." OK, moving on.)

The Extras movie is packed with guest stars, but it has a lot more going for it than that. The special picks up a year after the second-season finale, with Andy acting even more obnoxious than usual. As funny as Extras can be, at least one critic who's seen this special says it's dark and mean-spirited - but wonderful. Anyone who saw Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's somewhat dismal and yet completely fantastic sendoff to the British version of The Office probably won't find that surprising. HBO has a preview interview with Gervais and Merchant with a few scenes from the show.

Dexter, meanwhile, finds Lundy and the FBI closing the case of the Bay Harbor Butcher - but that doesn't mean Dexter's out of the woods yet. In case you're not already in enough suspense, you can watch a scene from tonight's finale right now if you just read more.

Photos courtesy of HBO and Showtime

Dexter and the Dark Defender

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:30:00 -0800

If you're a fan of Showtime's Dexter, then you probably already know about the Dark Defender, a superhero based on the serial-killer-with-a-soul whom Dexter discovered when investigating a murder at a comics shop a couple of weeks back. But what you may not know is that Dexter's doppelganger has his own Web series. The Dark Defender is a series of highly stylized recaps of this season's Dexter episodes, starting with the season premiere. Only two installments have been done so far, but Showtime promises there are more on the way.

The episodes are less than two minutes each, but they're an interesting blend of freaky and compelling - just like Dexter itself. They're also not a bad way to get caught up on the season's cases so far. Can a real Dark Defender comic book and action figure be too far off? To watch two installments of The Dark Defender, just read more

Photo courtesy of Showtime

Watch the First Season of "Dexter" - In Two Minutes

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:37:35 -0700

I'm trying to get caught up on "Dexter" before its second season starts Sept. 30 on Showtime, but it's nice to know I have a backup plan in case I run out of time to watch all 12 episodes. Showtime has helpfully condensed the season down into a two-minute summary, giving new fans all the information they need to dive right in for season two. Granted, it's not 77 "Sopranos" episodes in seven minutes, but it still gets the job done if you just want the highlights or need to refresh your memory. To watch, read more

Photo courtesy of Showtime

Where is the Fisher Family Now?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:28:38 -0700

With today's news that Freddy Rodriguez is joining the cast of "Ugly Betty," nearly every actor who played a main character on "Six Feet Under" is now back on TV somewhere. Here's a look at where the Fisher and Diaz folks have ended up:

Peter Krause (Nate Fisher) will star in ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" this fall as Nick George, an attorney who takes over his father's role as counselor to the absurdly wealthy Darling family.
Michael C. Hall (David Fisher) has reinvented himself as a blood spatter analyst-turned-serial killer in Showtime's "Dexter," for which he already received a Golden Globe nomination.
Lauren Ambrose (Claire Fisher) has been cast as Parker Posey's sister in "The Return of Jezebel James," a Fox comedy from "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino that is currently scheduled to air as a midseason replacement.

Lots more - including Rico's new role - so read more

Freddy Rodriguez (Rico Diaz) is newly cast in "Ugly Betty" as Gio, an ambitious blue-collar sandwich maker who just might complicate the burgeoning love between Betty and Henry.
Rachel Griffiths (Brenda Chenowith) now plays Sarah on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" - and is a big part of the reason I hope the women of that show will pull in some Emmy nominations.
Jeremy Sisto (Billy Chenowith) had a short-lived stint on NBC's "Kidnapped" last fall, but this year he'll be back as the new detective on "Law & Order."
Lili Taylor (Lisa Kimmel Fisher) starts a starring turn this Sunday as a mixed-up therapist on Lifetime's "State of Mind."

As for the others, Frances Conroy (Ruth Fisher), Mathew St. Patrick (Keith Charles) and Justina Machado (Vanessa) are currently filming movies, while James Cromwell (George) starred this past season as Jack's dad on "24."

Source

First Look: "Dexter" Season 2

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:30:00 -0700

Thank goodness the first season of "Dexter" is on iTunes now, because Showtime's gone and reminded me of all the awesomeness I've been missing by releasing a teaser trailer for the second season, which is scheduled to start in September. Tell me: Is there anything creepier than the intense look in Michael C. Hall's eyes as he prepares to plunge a needle into his latest victim's neck? I also love the disconnect between the happy, jaunty music and the dark speech Dexter's giving. When the new season starts, will you be watching? To check out the trailer, and a montage of conflicts between Dexter and Sgt. Doakes - the only person who realizes there's something a little off about Dexter - if you read more

Photo courtesy of Showtime