BuzzSugar

Link Time! 2/21

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:34:55 -0800

MTV Movie Blog's Josh Horowitz makes his very own Oscars opening montage, and it's rather hilarious.
Popwatch wants to know: What are the greatest duets of all time?
The TV Addict jokingly (I hope) imagines what Friday Night Lights might look like on various other networks.
Cinematical wonders if Jon Stewart will rock the Oscars. What do you think?
Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily says brace yourself: There's much, much more on the way from Paula Abdul.
TV with MeeVee wonders who's to blame for the demise of Bionic Woman.
Stereogum has us take a listen to Janet Jackson sampling Daft Punk in her song "So Much Betta."
TV Squad weighs in on whether the presidential election is shaping up like The West Wing's final season.

Link Time! 12/6

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:31:25 -0800

USA Today is featuring some of the new, vibrant, candy-colored photo stills from the Speed Racer movie.
TV Bloggin has a steamier version of the Bones-Booth kiss.
Jason Bateman continues to talk to MTV Movies Blog about the possibility of an Arrested Development movie, and this time he sounds quite hopeful.
Stereogum has the Michel Gondry-directed video for Bjork's "Declare Independence."
Need a laugh? Check out some bloopers from the British version of The Office, courtesy of Give Me My Remote.
FilmExperience brings up a good point: If Juno is nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, it will be "the most youth-skewing entry" in a long time.
TV Squad explains why things don't look good for Bionic Woman.
Idolator has a new candy-colored video from The Pipettes.

What Are You Watching Tonight at 9?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:18:51 -0700

One of fall TV's toughest time slots is Wednesday at 9 p.m. (that's 8 p.m. for you folks in the Central time zone). Tonight, it will be especially tough with two buzzworthy new shows and Mandy Patinkin's swan song on "Criminal Minds" joining the fray. What will you be watching?

Fall TV Preview: Five Total Toss-ups

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:30:00 -0700

All summer long, I've been giving you my first impressions of the networks' new shows. Now, with fall TV upon us, it's time to tell you which shows are deserving of space on your TiVo and which ... well, aren't. Yesterday, I told you about five shows I'll be skipping this fall, and on Monday, I'll be revealing my top five picks for the season. But today, I'm focusing on the shows that could go either way, just as likely to become megahits as they are to sink like stones.

5. "Bionic Woman" - "Bionic" has seen quite a bit of upheaval since the pilot I saw was filmed. One supporting part (the bionic woman's younger sister) has been recast and reconceived, and - just within the past couple of weeks - one of the executive producers left the show. In the version of the pilot I saw, lead actress Michelle Ryan didn't seem to have the sort of fearless toughness you'd want in an action star, and the whole thing seemed surprisingly low-energy. But now, "Friday Night Lights" producer Jason Katims will be consulting on the show, and NBC has ensured a steady stream of publicity by hiring Isaiah Washington for a guest spot. I'm still not confident about this remake, but I think it has an equal chance of being a breakout hit and a flop.

4. "Carpoolers" - I'm really of two minds about "Carpoolers." On the one hand, the whole idea of inane car banter is why I try not to catch rides with casual acquaintances. On the other hand, this pilot made me laugh surprisingly hard, and I'm finding myself rooting for it. The writing may not be completely there yet, but the comic timing from funny guys like Jerry O'Connell, Jerry Minor, Fred Goss, and potential breakout star TJ Miller gives me hope - as does that Phil Collins video. I'm not sure if I see it getting more than a "Knights of Prosperity"-sized following, but if enough people give it a chance, maybe it will be a small hit.

Three more tossups - plus a brand-new clip of the first few minutes of one of them - so read more

3. "Moonlight" - "Moonlight" is a toss-up in the truest sense of the word because it's gone through so many changes. Virtually everyone except lead actor Alex O'Loughlin has been recast since the spring, and I haven't seen either the old or the new versions of the pilot. I generally suspect this will be a cheesy mix of vampire myth and cop drama, and its Friday night timeslot tells me CBS doesn't have a ton of confidence in it either. On the other hand, CBS has had a good sense of humor in promoting the show - witness this "Interview with a Vampire" clip and the creepy vs. sexy video - and I think there are legions of "Angel" and "Buffy" fans who might latch on to this show.

2. "Aliens in America" - Of all the pilots I watched for the fall, this one about a friendship between a small-town Wisconsin kid and his family's Pakistani exchange student, left me the most conflicted by far. On the one hand, it made me laugh harder than any other comedy pilot, and the two young actors in the lead roles are charming and perfectly cast. On the other hand, many parts of the pilot made me squirm because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be offended or amused. I have no idea where the show will go from here, and - more than that - I have no idea how people will react. Will they think it's sweetly hilarious or blatantly over the line?

1. "Private Practice" - So far, this show is nothing but a giant question mark. It's the only pilot the general public has seen, and so we've all had almost four months to rip the very special episode apart - and nobody's been shy about doing that.
Some critics who have seen the proper first episode of the series say the show has gotten itself together, while others say it's even more inane than we feared. For me, the whole point of Kate Walsh's Addison on "Grey's" was to be sassy, complicated, and tough-as-nails; on the snippets of "Private Practice" I've seen, she seems gigglier and girlier, without the backbone that made her such a gem. Creator Shonda Rhimes has said this show won't be "Grey's 2.0" - but it's too early to tell whether "Private Practice" will be able to capture any of the magic that made that show a hit. Just for good measure, here's the newest preview clip:

"Private Practice" and "Carpoolers" photos copyright 2007 ABC, Inc..
"Moonlight" picture courtesy of CBS
"Aliens in America" photo courtesy of The CW
"Bionic Woman" photo Source
"Moonlight" photo courtesy of CBS

How Bionic are You?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Apparently, I would not be a very good candidate for obtaining bionic body parts and saving the world. I've already spent more time than I should probably admit taking the Bionic Aptitude Test NBC has set up to promote its fall series "Bionic Woman." (Side note: How cool is the URL bat-test.com? Seriously.)

Anyway, lest you think that being bionic is easy, I should warn you that these tests are tough. Five short games make up the overall test, and my scores on them ranged from pretty good to completely helpless. The one testing reaction time and hand-eye coordination was my forte, as was the one where you have to memorize a key sequence and type it back (I guess the endless rounds of Simon I played as a kid have paid off). The one that tested how well I processed details in a series of photographs was OK, too. But the other two tests were a bit more disastrous; one involved doing a lot of math quickly (it's only addition and subtraction; I'm just that bad at math), and the other involved typing words using a baffling, non-standard keyboard layout.

In the end, I finished my first round at 49 percent bionic. After several more tries, I've finally edged over 50 percent. But I think it's probably best for everyone if I remain a mere mortal.

Source

Comic-Con Videos: Almost As Good As Being There

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:28:17 -0700

If you love TV, and you read Phasekitty's reports from Comic-Con with envy, then here's some good news: NBC filmed the Comic-Con panels for returning favorite "Heroes" and new shows "Chuck" and "Bionic Woman," and highlights from them are now available online.

Even people at Comic-Con couldn't get into the "Heroes" panel, where it was announced that Kevin Smith will direct an episode of "Heroes: Origins." The line wrapped all the way around the convention center - several times. Luckily, the whole thing is available on NBC's video site; start here with part one.

The "Chuck" crew also showed up, and you can watch an interview with Zachary Levi (aka Pop's crush) showing off his Nintendo Wii scar.

Still want more? The TV Addict has rounded up fan videos of many of the other panels - and while they're pretty shaky, they get the job done. You can also watch highlights from the "Heroes," "Chuck" and "Bionic Woman" panels if you read more

"Heroes":

"Chuck":

"Bionic Woman":

Pilot Watch: "Bionic Woman"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:30:00 -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. Note that a lot can change before a show actually makes it to air, so these aren't comprehensive reviews, just quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: NBC's "Bionic Woman."

What's it about? A remake of the 1970s classic, the show focuses on a bartender named Jaime who is nearly killed in a horrible car crash and is rebuilt with superhuman technology that gives her incredible strength, amazing vision and a whole slew of other powers. With the technology comes a whole slew of new responsibilities - and new enemies.

Who's in it? Michelle Ryan, Miguel Ferrer, Chris Bowers, Will Yun Lee, Molly Price. Katee Sackhoff of "Battlestar Galactica" will also star in several episodes, as will Isaiah Washington.

The good: The show is well-paced and slick-looking, and - though I'm admittedly not a special effects junkie - the effects looked cool to me. For a remake of a '70s show, it feels modern. Ryan makes an appealing main character.

The bad: Ryan might not be enough of a badass to be believable as a woman on a mission to save the world; Sackhoff comes off so much tougher in all the scenes the two share. The entire story line about Jaime's deaf sister has been reconceived since the pilot was shot, so there's a lot I can't judge yet.

Will I watch? I'm curious to see how the show works with a new actress in the sister role and a little time for Ryan to grow into her tough-chick persona.

To watch a preview for the show and see a gallery of photos, read more

View 10 Photos ›

Photos Source

TCA News Roundup: Isaiah, "Singing Bee," "Bionic"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:41:16 -0700

The attention at the TCA press tour shifts to CBS today, but there are still a few great NBC tidbits to share from the network's two days at the press tour:

"Chuck" star Zachary Levi (above), Pop's new favorite person, took first place in a live version of "The Singing Bee" at NBC's all-star party on Tuesday night, beating out Scott Porter of "Friday Night Lights", an Us Weekly writer, and a tone-deaf TV critic. The highlight: Levi's perfect rendition of the chorus from "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Oh, the mid-'90s. Check out Pop for more great pictures of the party.
"Bionic Woman" producers answered several questions about their casting of Isaiah Washington as a guest star for several episodes early this season. The character existed before Washington was brought on board, but the role was changed slightly to fit the number of episodes Washington was signed for. NBC entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman brought Washington to the producers, rather than the producers going after Washington on their own. And they said they believe in giving Washington a chance to make amends. "Rather than excommunicate someone," executive producer Jason Smilovic said, "we felt that it was better to give him a second chance."

Two more bits, so read more

The "Bionic" producers also talked a bit about the new role for the main character's little sister, who now will be played by Lucy Hale. To help move the story forward, they've given the sister a background in computer hacking. And the sister is no longer deaf; that, the producers explained, had been a way to get the main character talking in sign language to chimps in a research lab, but when the lab and the chimps were written out of later drafts of the show, there was no reason for the deaf sister to stay.
The "Journeyman" producers shrugged off comparisons between their show and The Time Traveler's Wife, with creator Kevin Falls explaining that he's been writing about time travel for years and knows very little about the book. Star Gretchen Egolf said her friends who loved Time Traveler's Wife actually seem more open to watching the show because of the book.

Source

Isaiah Washington to join "Bionic Woman"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:15:10 -0700

One story that got the room buzzing this morning at the TCA press tour was the news that Isaiah Washington will be joining the cast of "Bionic Woman," appearing in five of the show's early episodes.

NBC entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman said NBC had been talking to Washington even before he was ousted from "Grey's Anatomy." Despite the controversy that has surrounded him, Silverman said he wasn't worried about alienating part of "Bionic Woman"'s potential audience. "The bottom line is he's a wonderful actor," Silverman said. "We think, inside 'Bionic Woman,' the character that's been created for him is very strong and one that he'll do a great job at." According to USA Today, Washington will "play an outsider with a mysterious agenda" who will either help the main character or try to undermine her.

Whatever the circumstances surrounding Washington's firing by ABC, I'm glad that he's moving on - and maybe now we can all focus on his acting again. What do you think? Will you be able to watch him without thinking about the "Grey's" mess?

Source

Got Questions for NBC Stars?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 07:15:00 -0700

Starting Monday, I'll be bringing you the scoop on this fall's new and returning TV shows straight from Los Angeles, where stars, writers, producers and journalists are gathering for the annual Television Critics Association press tour. While I'm there, I'll have a chance to chat with the people behind your favorite shows - and I want to make sure I'm asking the questions you want answered.

First up is NBC, where I'll be attending panel discussions with the casts and creators of NBC's new fall shows as well as stars from "Saturday Night Live," the Thursday night comedies, "Friday Night Lights," "Law & Order," and the new Sci Fi Channel series Tin Man with Zooey Deschanel.

So, take a spin through NBC's fall schedule and, in the comments below, let me know which of the network's new shows you're most curious about, what you'd want to ask your favorite NBC actors and actresses, and any other questions that cross your mind. Then, look for my reports right here on Buzz starting on Monday!