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

read more "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,

read more 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

Jennifer Garner Shares Smiles and Hugs With Her Little Love

Katie Henry — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:56:59 PST

Jennifer Garner was out and about in LA yesterday with her youngest daughter, Seraphina. The girls ran errands, picked up Violet from school, and even stopped for some frozen yogurt at their favorite spot, Menchie's. Last year Jen and Ben partied with Hollywood's in crowd during award season, but this year the cute celebrity couple chose to kick back with their little ones close to home. Ben and Jen have been together for nearly a decade, but before the pair sparked a connection she dated her Alias costar Michael Vartan. Michael and Jen made our list of shocking Hollywood hookups, but now they're both prepping to celebrate Valentine's Day this year with their respective loves.

Fashion's Insiders Glam Up to Fête NYFW at amfAR

Hannah Weil — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:50:05 PST

Fashion Week is officially here - our favorite insiders and models braved the snow last night to ring in the start of the week-long style frenzy at amfAR's New York Gala. It was a crowd dressed for the occasion; Karolina Kurkova in leg-baring Vionnet, Alexa Chung channeling her signature sweet-chic in white Louis Vuitton, and Joan Smalls slipping into a sexy peplum-adorned evening look were just a few of the A-listers who gathered to celebrate the start of NYFW at amfAR's annual benefit for AIDS research. Inside, more of the night's standouts show off their evening wear - click through to get a glimpse of all of the glamorous arrivals before they trade their gowns for Fashion Week-worthy street style.

Team Zoe's Joey Maalouf Answers Your Most Hair-Raising Questions

Jaime Richards — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00:00 PST

You've learned how he creates Rachel Zoe's signature beachy waves, and you've likely admired his other work from afar (Jessica Alba's soft and pretty Golden Globes makeup, anyone?). And most recently, celebrity stylist Joey Maalouf has signed on as a beauty advisor for Slim Fast's Studio Wow! campaign, which he explains, is a way to help people be at their most confident for a big, upcoming life event.

"You know, there's no one big step that does it; it's a lot of little steps," Joey says. "First the tricks of dieting, then you start to think about your external look: styling, hair and makeup. I love making people feel like they can just do it at home - and they can," Joey adds. And that's why he's answering your most hair-raising questions. From keeping curls bouncy to Spring 2012's hottest trends, see Joey's expert advice on how you can wow the crowd when you read more.

Get the Dish: Morton's Porterhouse Steak

Susannah Chen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:12:29 PST

Morton's the Steakhouse has been an American fixture for more than 30 years, and there's nothing more iconic than the institution's classic porterhouse steak. We paid a visit to the Morton's kitchen, where we learned all about choosing a good steak, and the Morton's technique to ensure a tender, juicy piece of meat every single time. Bonus: we scored the recipe for their crowd-pleasing au jus, too. See what you think when you watch the video now - and keep reading for the Morton's Porterhouse recipe!

The Best Moments From Sunday's Puppy Bowl VIII

Sara Yoo — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 PST

Once again, Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl filled the crowd with oohs and awws, but it also spawned some controversy over its MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) selection. While Aberdeen demonstrated greatness with four touchdowns, aptly named Fumble took home the top prize thanks to his athletic prowess and overall hustle. Check out our favorite moments in this recap, and visit Animal Planet for all of the poochtastic moments!

Source: Animal Planet

Andy Lewis Slacklines to Fame During Madonna's Halftime Show

Michele Foley — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:18:39 PST

During Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show, a performer jumping up and down on what appeared to be a tightrope had the crowd asking, "Who is that guy who looks like Will Ferrell, and what is he doing?" For anyone involved in rock climbing, you already know that it's athlete "Sketchy" Andy Lewis, the slackline king.

Besides being a lot of fun, slacklining is an incredible workout that challenges your core, agility, and balance. It may look similar to tightrope walking, but the differences are important. Unlike a tightrope, which uses a tautly-held rigid line, slacklining relies on the use of flat nylon webbing anchored with enough give to stretch and bounce. This give is what allowed Andy, who holds several world records in slacklining, to perform those acrobatic stunts during the halftime show. While it's grown into having a community all its own, modern-day slacklining is attributed to the Yosemite rock climbing community. In the '80s, rock climbers started killing time while camping by setting up slacklines using gear they already had - a tradition which still persists today. Some climbers even go slacklining thousands of feet up above the Yosemite valley floor. Slacklining has since evolved into a competitive sport and even bred offshoots like yoga slacklining.

If you missed Andy's performance, check it out after the break!