BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 9/14

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:29:28 PDT

Ben Affleck's directorial debut, the thriller Gone, Baby, Gone, is being pulled from U.K. theaters in light of the kidnapping of British girl Madeleine McCann, Variety reports.
Those nutty "Jericho" fans really made their mark: CBS is using peanuts to market the show's first-season DVDs, Variety reports.
Ricky Gervais will write and star in his own comedic movie titled This Side of Truth, writes Zap2It.
Billboard has the news that Aretha Franklin's next album - releasing Nov. 13 - will include two never-before-heard tracks.
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" will start its fifth season in October with a "Straight Guy Pageant," the Futon Critic reports.
The Austin City Limits music festival kicked off today, Pitchfork reports.
Bummer: "The IT Crowd," NBC's midseason nerd comedy, might never make it on the air, Zap2it writes.
TV Guide reports that soap star Morgan Fairchild will play herself on "Men in Trees."

Get a Sneak Peek at NBC's New Shows

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:20:36 PDT

We might have to wait till fall to see the full versions of NBC's new shows, but the network is giving you a preview now. Clips of four of the shows, including "Chuck" (photo above), have made their way to YouTube, and NBC has a bunch of goodies on its fall preview site. I also have a ton of photos for the new shows, and I can't wait to hear what you think.

"Journeyman"
Here's a clip of this "Quantum Leap"-ish show that shows Dan explaining to his wife that he's been living 20 years in the past. More videos here.

More videos and dozens of photos from all six new shows if you

"Chuck"
This clip doesn't do much to explain what's going on in the show, but for some reason, it had me laughing out loud. More here.

"Bionic Woman"
This clip shows the Bionic Gal herself finding out she's now bionic. More here.

"Life"
This clip sets up the premise: A cop who's been jailed for murder makes a comeback. More here.

"Lipstick Jungle": Check out a ton of videos here.

"The IT Crowd": NBC's put out one video, an interview with star Richard Ayoade.

Now, onto the photos:

"Journeyman"

"Bionic Woman"

"Life"

"Chuck"

"Lipstick Jungle"

View 17 Photos ›

"The IT Crowd"

View 12 Photos ›

Source

A "Heroes" Spinoff Headlines NBC's Fall Plans

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 09:44:34 PDT

NBC was the first network to announce its fall schedule at the 2007 Upfronts this morning, and it started off with a shocker: A spinoff of "Heroes" called "Heroes: Origins" that will air when the original series is on hiatus and introduce characters not yet known to viewers. Take that, "Grey's Anatomy"! Combined, the two shows will air 30 new episodes next year.

Additionally, NBC picked up five dramas ("Journeyman," "Bionic Woman," "Chuck," "Life," "Lipstick Jungle"), one comedy series ("The IT Crowd") and two reality shows - one that will challenge contestants to sing popular song lyrics, the other focusing on dance from around the world.

Among returning shows, here were some of the big announcements:

"The Office" will have 30 half-hour episodes, five of which will air as hour-long episodes (if I'm doing the math right, that means 25 weeks when "The Office" will be new).
"Friday Night Lights" will air (ugh) Fridays at 10 p.m.
"My Name is Earl" will have a longer-than-usual season of 25 episodes.
"Law & Order" will be back, while "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" will air its new episodes on USA (eventually they'll air on NBC, too, but details on how that will work are unclear).

Officially canceled: "Crossing Jordan," "The Black Donnellys," "Studio 60."

Here's NBC's official press release, and to see the full fall schedule and descriptions of the new shows,

All caps = new show
** = new time slot

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"
9-10 p.m. "Heroes"
10-11 p.m. "JOURNEYMAN"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"
9-10 p.m. "CHUCK"
10-11 p.m. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. "Deal or No Deal"**
9-10 p.m. "BIONIC WOMAN"
10-11 p.m. "LIFE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. "My Name Is Earl"
8:30-9 p.m. "30 Rock"**
9-9:30 p.m. "The Office"**
9:30-10 p.m. "Scrubs"
10-11 p.m. "ER"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. "1 vs 100"/"THE SINGING BEE" (rotating)
9-10 p.m. "Las Vegas"
10-11 p.m. "Friday Night Lights"**

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
9-11 p.m. Drama Series Encores

SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m. "Football Night in America"
8-11 p.m. "NBC Sunday Night Football"

SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m. "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. "Law & Order"**
9-10 p.m. "Medium"**
10-11 p.m. "LIPSTICK JUNGLE"

"WORLD MOVES" will premiere later in the fall.

Here's how NBC describes the new shows:

"Journeyman"
From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves ("The West Wing"), "Journeyman" is a romantic mystery-drama about Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, "Rome"), a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he also must deal with the difficulties and strife at work and home brought on by his sudden disappearances. However, his freewheeling travels through the decades reunite him with his long-lost fiance Livia (Moon Bloodgood, "Day Break") - which complicates his present-day life with wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf, "Martial Law") and their son. Reed Diamond ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and Charles Henry Wyson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") also star. "Journeyman" is a production of 20th Century Fox Television. Falls is executive producer and writer; Graves is executive producer and director of the pilot.

"Chuck"
From executive producer, Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") comes a one-hour, comedic spy thriller about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") - a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent. When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at Buy More. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must fight assassins and international terrorists. With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") of the NSA assumes the responsibility of protecting him. His partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's first date in years) Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strzechowski, "Gone"). They'll keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest. Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Chuck's best buddy Morgan and Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures and Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"Bionic Woman"
Struggling as a bartender and surrogate mom to her teenage sister, Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan, "EastEnders") didn't think life could get much harder. But when a devastating car accident leaves her at death's door, Jaime's only hope for survival is a cutting-edge, top-secret technology that comes at a hefty price. With a whole new existence and a debt to re-pay, Jaime must figure out how to use her extraordinary abilities for good, while weighing the personal sacrifices she will have to make. Ultimately, it's Jaime's journey of self-discovery and inner strength that will help her embrace her new life as the Bionic Woman. Also starring are: Mae Whitman ("State of Grace") as Becca, Jaime's younger sister; Miguel Ferrer ("Crossing Jordan") as Jonas, the man who employs Jaime's boyfriend; Chris Bowers ("Rescue Me) as Will, Jaime's boyfriend, who performs the operation; Will Yun Lee ("Witchblade") as Jae, the specialized operations leader; and Molly Price ("Third Watch"), as Ruth, Jonas' second-in-command. "Bionic Woman" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and executive-produced by David Eick ("Battlestar Galactica"), Glen Morgan ("The X-Files"), Michael Dinner ("Kidnapped") -- who also directed the pilot -- and Jason Smilovic ("Lucky Number Slevin"). Laeta Kalogridis ("Birds of Prey") is also an executive producer on the pilot.

"Life"
From Rand Ravich and Far Shariat, the executive producers of the feature film "The Astronaut's Wife," and David Semel, who directed the pilot of NBC's "Heroes," "Life" is a new drama about a detective who is given a second chance. Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers") stars as complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews, who returns to the force after years in prison, thanks to close friend and attorney Constance Griffiths (Melissa Sagemiller, "Sleeper Cell"), after serving time for a crime he didn't commit. The cast also includes Sarah Shahi ("Rush Hour 3") as Charlie's skeptical, demanding partner, Robin Weigart (HBO's "Deadwood") as their hard-hitting lieutenant, and Adam Arkin ("Chicago Hope") as former cellmate Ted Early. "Life" is an NBC Universal Television Studio production. Rand Ravich is executive producer and writer; Far Shariat is executive producer; David Semel is executive producer and director on the pilot.

"Lipstick Jungle"
Based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), this fun dramedy follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game. Nico (Kim Raver, "24"), editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine, wants to replace her boss as CEO. Movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields, "Suddenly Susan") finds even her most earnest efforts may not be enough to balance career and family. And free-spirited designer Victory (Lindsay Price, "Beverly Hills, 90210") longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way. Armed with humor and strength, these three modern New York women support one another through the triumphs and tears that are all part of making it big in the Big Apple. Written by executive producers DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler (both for "How I Met Your Mother," "Three Sisters") and based on the book by Bushnell, "Lipstick Jungle" is from NBC Universal Television Studio. The pilot is directed by Gary Winick ("13 Going on 30").

"The IT Crowd"
Ever wonder what's up with those quirky techies who come to fix the office computer when no one's around? "The IT Crowd" is an offbeat series, based on the critically acclaimed British comedy, that offers a humorous behind-the-scenes peek at the people who truly keep the office humming. Roy (Joel McHale, "The Soup") and Moss (Richard Ayoade, "The IT Crowd" - U.K.) are the misunderstood masters of their high-tech domain, but they lack the people skills to befriend anyone but each other. Their company's head is Denholm (Rocky Carrol, "Chicago Hope"), who wants the IT department to stay segregated and forever banished to the basement. Executive producers are Moses Port ("Just Shoot Me"), David Guarascio ("Just Shoot Me"), Joe Port (NBC's "The Office"), Joe Wiseman ("The Office"), Graham Linehan ("The IT Crowd" - UK) and Steve Tao ("Red Doors"). Gail Mancuso ("Scrubs," "30 Rock") directed the pilot. "The IT Crowd" is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

"The Singing Bee"
"The Singing Bee" is a variety-competition show that challenges contestants to accurately sing the lyrics to popular songs -- even when the band stops playing. In this karaoke showdown, there's no middle ground for partially correct answers -- contestants must be perfect or they're out. Family-friendly, broad in appeal and conducive to playing (and singing) along at home, "The Singing Bee" features popular, recognizable music that inspires hilarious wrong answers and amazing performances by those rare contestants who somehow manage to get every word right. "The Singing Bee" is produced by the Gurin Company and Juma Entertainment, LLC. The executive producers are Phil Gurin (NBC's "Miss Universe" franchise) and Robert C. Horowitz ("Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials Top 40 Countdown").

"World Moves"
From executive producer Randy Jackson ("American Idol") and the creators of the World Hip Hop Championship comes one of the most visual and captivating performance competition shows ever to hit TV. Thousands of dance teams from around the world will audition for their shot to come to Los Angeles and compete for a global championship and an international touring contract. The live television event features young teams of five to seven members demonstrating their athleticism, creativity and innovative choreography in a presentation that highlights both the competition and the personal drama unfolding within each team. Viewers from across the globe will vote via the Internet, by text message, or by phone to eliminate one team each week. Ultimately, it's not just about winning a competition; "World Moves" involves stories that change lives and bring the world together. From Warner Horizon Television, the series is executive-produced by Jackson ("American Idol," Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment), Rob Lee (President, Bayonne Entertainment, "Blow Out," "House of Carters"), Howard Schwartz ("Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship), Karen Schwartz (Hip Hop International, World Hip Hop Championship) and Harriet Sternberg (Dream Merchant 21 Entertainment).

Source

Fall TV Pilot Trends: British Imports

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:03:13 PDT

It's TV pilot season, when hopeful writers, directors, and actors give the networks glimpses of what could be their next big hits. Few pilots will ever make it to air, and the odds might be especially long over on ABC, which has already renewed many of its current shows. Over the next few weeks, I'll be looking at the pilots and trying to spot the trends that could be coming soon to a TV near you. I've already told you about shows focusing on tough working women and the supernatural, and today I'm looking at British imports.

Many successful U.S. reality shows originated on the BBC ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and "What Not to Wear" among them), but the success of adaptations of British scripted shows has been a little less certain. The American version of "The Office" has evolved into a hit, but NBC's attempt at adapting the quirky "Coupling" tanked after just a few episodes.

This season, networks are shipping over a new load of scripted shows to adapt for U.S. audiences, and some sound like they could be great - if they're done right. Here are a few that caught my eye:

"The IT Crowd": The plot of this NBC pilot sounds like something out of a Douglas Coupland book: A couple of socially awkward IT nerds tucked away deep in the bowels of a large corporation come face-to-face with their technophobic but socially savvy new manager, Jen, who sounds like she could be the first woman these guys have seen in years. It sounds like a show GeekSugar would love: The British series apparently features tons of geeky references. I'm most impressed with the cast of strong comic actors, including "The Soup" host Joel McHale (left) and Best Week Ever alum Jessica St. Clair. If the show gets picked up, Richard Ayoade would reprise his role from the British series. Here are some scenes from the British show, including the awesome title sequence.

"The Thick of It": I'm incredibly hopeful about this show, which is an "Office"-style faux-documentary into the workings of a blundering congressman and his staffers. "Arrested Development" creator Mitchell Hurwitz is writing and producing the show, with Christopher Guest of Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman set to direct the pilot for ABC. John Michael Higgins, an alum of both "Development" and several of Guest's films, stars as the inept congressman, with a supporting cast including Alex Borstein and Oliver Platt. Here's a clip of the first few minutes of the BBC series.

Two more, so

"The Minister of Divine": Based on the BBC series "The Vicar of Dibley," this Fox pilot centers on a woman known for her wild past who winds up as the minister of the church in her tiny, conservative hometown. The show was named Britain's third favorite sitcom of all time in a BBC poll, but I'm not sure how well its sensibilities will translate to an American audience - especially with Kirstie Alley (at right) in the starring role. Here's a clip from the BBC show.
"Football Wives": This ABC remake of the "Footballers Wives" will be about the wives of NFL players, not pro soccer stars, but otherwise it sounds just as campy as the BBC original. The network is calling it a cross between "Desperate Housewives" and "The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," with the young wife of a new football pro learning the ins and outs of expensive cars, crazy shopping sprees and obsessive fans. Gabrielle Union, James Van Der Beek and Lucy Lawless are among the stars. Here's a promo for the BBC series.

Source

Beyoncé Returns the Stage In True Style, Grace, and Sequins

Katie Henry — Sat, 26 May 2012 11:23:00 PDT

Beyoncé took the stage at the Revel Resort & Casino in Atlantic City last night ready to put on a high energy show for the sold-out crowd of 5,500 fans. In her first major performance since giving birth to daughter Blue she pulled out all the stops and changed into four jaw-dropping costumes. Ralph & Russo created Beyoncé's couture looks, which are encrusted with more than 500,000 Swarovski crystals, and took into account her high-energy dance routines when coming up with the designs. For her part Beyoncé delivered a two-hour set of her hottest tracks. From one of her more recent hits, "Run the World" to "Single Ladies" and "Halo" she kept the crowd on their feet all night. Perhaps one of the most surprising moments of the night came at the end of the show when Beyoncé shared new personal photos and film clips, including an image of the singer holding baby Blue in her arms.

Robert Pattinson Rises Early For Cosmopolis in Cannes

Lauren Turner — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:08:24 PDT

Robert Pattinson drew a large crowd at the Cannes Film Festival in France this morning. He stepped out for a photocall to promote Cosmopolis after also talking up the project on Le Grand Journal yesterday. Rob will be back in front of the cameras for the premiere of the film later today, though he's already made his red-carpet debut at this year's festival. Rob supported girlfriend Kristen Stewart by showing up at the screening of her movie On the Road, which also stars his pal Tom Sturridge. The fun continued after the event when Rob and Kristen kissed on the balcony of Le Baron's Cannes outpost. Kristen is apparently still in the South of France, but we'll have to wait and see if she makes another red-carpet appearance with Rob this afternoon.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas From the Community

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 07:16:57 PDT

If you're looking for breakfast inspiration, then you've come to the right place! Here are a few of our favorite new recipes from the FitSugar Healthy Recipe community group.

If you're entertaining a large party, then cooking up a healthy breakfast enchilada casserole is an easy way to feed the crowd.

With a decadent name like upside-down banana-bread pancakes with maple cream, who would have guessed this recipe is oil-, sugar-, and gluten-free? Not us.

Gluten-free doughnuts with berry frosting cream? You don't have to ask us twice.

Forget the Flowers - Add Terrariums to Your Wedding Instead!

Guest Writer — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:00:41 PDT

Most brides are looking for beautiful ways to enhance their wedding's decor and to help it stand out from the crowd, and that's why terrariums are a great option for creating a beautiful, unusual impression on your big day. We talked to Katy Maslow and Michelle Inciarrano, owners of the Brooklyn-based company Twig Terrariums and authors of the new book Tiny World Terrariums about how - and why - terrariums are a great decorating choice.

Keep reading to see what Katy and Michelle have to say about making terrariums work as centerpieces or wedding favors at your celebration, as well as DIY tips for creating them yourself! Take it away, Katy and Michelle!

All book photos courtesy of Robert Wright

Nicole and Heidi Hit the Paperboy Premiere With Zac and Matthew

Lauren Turner — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:17:26 PDT

Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, and Matthew McConaughey were back in the spotlight at Cannes today to premiere The Paperboy in front of a glamorous crowd. The trio was up early this morning for a photocall, where Nicole wowed in a red dress. She changed into a gorgeous Lanvin gown for this afternoon's event, which also brought out Heidi Klum in Marchesa. John Cusack and director Lee Daniels were on hand, as was Macy Gray. There are only a few days left at the Cannes Film Festival, but before things wrap up, Robert Pattinson will hit the red carpet for the second time to show off Cosmopolis.

Phillip Phillips Is America's New Idol

Katie Henry — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:30:22 PDT

American Idol closed out its 11th season in LA tonight and crowned Phillip Phillips the winner! The two-hour season finale brought out some of music's biggest stars like Rihanna, Chaka Khan, John Fogerty, and Dream Girls legend Jennifer Holliday, who joined finalist Jessica Sanchez on stage for an unforgettable duet of "And I'm Telling You." The judges also got in on the action. Steven Tyler and Aerosmith performed a medley of songs while Jennifer Lopez flashed her abs in a studded bra and got the crowd on their feet with her latest dance track, "Follow the Leader." The evening was packed with exciting moments, including a marriage proposal. Former contestant Ace Young got down on one knee and popped the question to girlfriend, and Idol's season three runner-up, Diana DeGarmo.

Following the results and Phillips's emotional performance of his first single, "Home," he headed backstage to chat with press about his long road to tonight's finale, and how he's processing the win. Phillip said of his big win, "It's so unreal . . . it hasn't sunk in yet, it's just such a blessing to have." Phillip was humble talking about his own success, but Jessica was quick to compliment her competitor, saying, "When they announced it was Phillip I was so happy. I love him so much; he deserved it. He's been having to keep up with his health issues; he's been through a lot more than us, both mentally and physically." Season 11 was full of excitement for the contestants and the judges. However, we'll have to wait and see if J Lo returns for season 12.