BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 9/26

BuzzSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:31:05 -0700

Do Not Disturb is the first casualty of Fall TV. - Broadcasting & Cable
It's only in the rumor stage, but still: People are saying Ricky Gervais may be the host for the 2009 Oscars! - E! Online
Steven Spielberg may adapt the sci-fi novel Chocky for his next project. - Zap2It
HBO wants to turn the Tom Wolfe novel I Am Charlotte Simmons into a TV series with Tina Brown as executive producer. - Variety
Helen Mirren is set to play a Mossad agent in director John Madden's The Debt, an English-language remake of Israeli thriller Ha-hov. - Variety
Melissa George of Alias will guest-star on Grey's Anatomy as a possible love interest for Callie or Erica. - Entertainment Weekly
Nick Nolte will star in an indie coming-of-age-drama titled Arcadia Lost. - Hollywood Reporter
Bob Dylan's new album will be released one week early as a free online stream on National Public Radio's website. - AP
The American Idol tour did better this year than last year but still couldn't match the 2006 edition. - USA Today

Photo courtesy of Fox

Pilot Watch: Do Not Disturb

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:30:22 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's Do Not Disturb, the network's only new comedy of the Fall, which will be paired with 'Til Death on Wednesdays.

What's it about? The Upstairs, Downstairs-style comedy focuses on the relationships between the employees of a ritzy hotel.

Who's in it? Niecy Nash, Jerry O'Connell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Molly Stanton, Jolene Purdy

The good: This show has a lot of funny people who are hilarious on their own and should, ideally, be funny together. I love Nash on Reno 911!, I think infinitely higher of O'Connell after his Tom Cruise parody video, and executive producer Abraham Higgenbotham was a writer on Arrested Development (fellow Arrested alum Jason Bateman directed the pilot). Nash, in particular, has a commanding presence on screen and seems like she could really do a lot with her character.

The bad: Stereotypes. Everywhere. Some of them are actually funny (there's a great sight gag with the women at the reception counter going up on their tippy-toes to please O'Connell's character, after Nash's character gets them some more-comfortable but less-skyscraping shoes), but so many of them just made me cringe. Like what? Well, the plot line of the first episode revolves around an overweight phone receptionist who wants to interact with hotel guests but isn't allowed to because of her looks. Yes, the bosses keeping her hidden come off as abhorrent - but mostly I felt like the show wanted us to point and laugh right along with them.

Will I watch? The show will have to get a lot less broad and stereotypical if it wants to keep me as a viewer.

To check out a preview and see a gallery of photos, just read more.

View 4 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Fox

Fox Fall Schedule: Two New Shows This Fall

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:57:33 -0700

Fox revealed its Fall TV schedule at the 2008 upfronts this morning, announcing two new shows and the two-hour "telefilm" 24 prequel that will air in November before the regular (much delayed) new season of the show starts up again in January 2009.

The Fox show getting the most buzz this upfront season (and the basket in which Fox is placing all its eggs) is the J.J. Abrams drama Fringe (featuring Joshua Jackson - yay, Pacey!) which will follow House (in a new spot) on Tuesday nights. The other new addition to the schedule is the scripted comedy Do Not Disturb (formerly known as The Inn) which is directed by Jason Bateman.

Coming up mid-season? More sci-fi including Dollhouse from Joss Whedon and two new animated comedies: The Cleveland Show (the Family Guy spinoff) and Sit Down, Shut Up from Arrested Development's Mitchell Hurwitz.

Here's Fox's official press release, and to check out the full schedule and descriptions of the new shows, just read more.

All caps = new show
** = new timeslot

MONDAY
8:00 p.m. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
9 p.m. Prison Break

TUESDAY
8 p.m. House**
9 p.m. FRINGE

WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. Bones
9 p.m. 'Til Death
9:30 p.m. DO NOT DISTURB

THURSDAY
8 p.m. The Moment of Truth
9 p.m. Kitchen Nightmares

FRIDAY
8 p.m. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader
9 p.m. Don't Forget the Lyrics!

SATURDAY
8 p.m. Cops
8:30 p.m. Cops
9 p.m. America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 p.m. MADtv
Midnight Talkshow

SUNDAY
8 p.m. The Simpsons
8:30 p.m. King of the Hill
9 p.m. Family Guy
9:30 p.m. American Dad

Mid-season: SIT DOWN, SHUT UP, DOLLHOUSE, 24, American Idol, Hell's Kitchen, SECRET MILLIONAIRE, HE CLEVELAND SHOW

Here's how Fox describes the new shows:

Fringe
From J.J. Abrams (Lost), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind Star Trek,Mission: Impossible III and Alias comes a new drama that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality. When an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, Boston Legal), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, Lord of the Rings), our generation's Einstein. There's only one catch: he's been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, Dawson's Creek) in to help. When Olivia's investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES, CHARLIE FRANCIS and ASTRID FARNSWORTH will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

Do Not Disturb
Do Not Disturb (working title) is a hilarious workplace comedy set at one of New York City's hottest and hippest hotels: The Inn. Named one of the Big Apple's "10 Best Places to Stay," The Inn is just that the "in" place to be, with its chic dcor, stylish staff and celebrity clientele. Behind the scenes, however, the upstairs/downstairs dynamic tells quite a different story. The hotel's top-notch reputation and sophisticated look is due in large part to NEAL (Jerry O'Connell) at least in his opinion. Although The Inn's charismatic owner R.J. (guest star Robert Wagner) takes all the credit, Neal is the egotistical, hyper-stylish, detail-oriented general manager who will do whatever it takes to keep the hotel and its employees up to his standards. RHONDA (Niecy Nash, Reno 911!) is the head of Human Resources who also keeps Neal's demands in check. She's brash, fabulous and brutally honest and runs the HR department from her bullpen downstairs with a set of rules that are all her own. Rhonda does her best to keep the back of the house in line and the front of the house out of trouble. At the front desk handling check-in while wearing 6-inch Manolos is NICOLE (Molly Stanton), an aging model who is svelte, cynical and slightly starving. Fresh from Nebraska is JASON (Brando Eaton), the nave bellman who would prefer to work behind-the-scenes, but was hired to show off his chiseled face and perfect pecs at the front of the hotel. The downstairs staff includes MOLLY (Jolene Purdy), a reservations clerk who dreams of pop-singer stardom as much as she craves to be part of the action upstairs; and LARRY (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), the head of housekeeping who spends more time on the phone cleaning up his messes at home than he does cleaning up after the guests upstairs.

Dollhouse
Joss Whedon, creator of groundbreaking cult favorites Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly returns to television and reunites with fellow Buffy alumna Eliza Dushku for a thrilling new drama, DOLLHOUSE. ECHO (Dushku) is an "Active," a member of a highly illegal and underground group who have had their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas. Confined to a secret facility known as the "Dollhouse," Echo and the other Actives including SIERRA (Dichen Lachman) and VICTOR (Enver Gjokaj) carry out engagements assigned by ADELLE (Olivia Williams), one of the Dollhouse leaders. The engagements cater to the wealthy, powerful and connected, and require the Actives to immerse themselves in all manner of scenarios romantic, criminal, uplifting, dangerous, comical and the occasional "pro bono" good deed. After each scenario, Echo, always under the watchful eye of her handler BOYD (Harry Lennix), returns to the mysterious Dollhouse where her thoughts, feelings and experiences are erased by TOPHER (Fran Kranz), the Dollhouse's genius programmer. Echo enters the next scenario with no memory of before. Or does she? As the series progresses, FBI Agent PAUL SMITH (Tahmoh Penikett) pieces together clues that lead him closer to the Dollhouse, while Echo stops forgetting, her memories begin to return and she slowly pieces together her mysterious past. Dollhouse revolves around Echo's blossoming self-awareness and her desire to discover her true identity. But with each new engagement, comes a new memory and increased danger inside and outside the Dollhouse.

Secret Millionaire
Secret Millionaire is a dramatic unscripted series that takes America's wealthiest individuals away from their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and private planes and places them undercover into some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in America. Shot under the guise of a documentary, the series reveals the dramatic personal return that millionaires will get when they leave their fortunes to invest in those less fortunate. Challenged with living on minimum wage, the millionaires will immerse themselves in situations beyond their comprehension. They will work side-by-side with community members and befriend those in need to decide who should ultimately receive their gifts of a lifetime. The millionaires will be touched by the people they meet. Some will inspire with their dedication to helping others, while others will relay stories of overcoming tremendous odds. On the final day, the Secret Millionaires meet with the chosen recipients and reveal their true identity and intention: to give them at least $100,000 oftentimes more of their own money and to change their lives forever. Secret Millionaire will engage viewers in important social issues, extol the virtues of volunteerism and change the lives of disadvantaged people and the philanthropists who helped them in unexpected ways.

The Cleveland Show
Many years ago, CLEVELAND BROWN (voiced by Mike Henry) was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named DONNA. Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he'd be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna's husband skipped town with another woman, leaving Donna with a daughter and a baby. Now she's come to Cleveland and offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously accepts and he and CLEVELAND JR. move to Stoolbend, VA, to join their new family. Once in Stoolbend, Cleveland has a few surprises in store for him, including a flirtatious new stepdaughter, a 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies, as well as a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck couple, a British family seemingly stuck in the Victorian era and a family of bears living at the end of the block. Family Guy was only the beginning. Get ready for The Cleveland Show (working title)!

Sit Down, Shut Up
From Emmy Award-winning writer Mitchell Hurwitz (Arrested Development) and Eric and Kim Tannenbaum (Two and a Half Men) comes Sit Down, Shut Up (working title), an animated comedy that focuses on the lives of eight staff members at a high school in a small northeastern fishing town (Go Baiters!) who never lose sight of the fact that the children must ALWAYS come second. We watch them grapple with their own egos, needs and personal agendas, their petty insecurities and prejudices, unrequited loves, and ruthless battles for power and that's just at the staff meeting. SUE SEZNO (Kenan Thompson), a woman who frequently says "no," is the acting principal of the school (the actual principal is recovering from a series of unfortunate accidents that might be seen as escape attempts). Then there's Vice Principal STUART PROZACKIAN (Will Forte) who has a terrifically positive and upbeat attitude... possibly from the performance-enhancing medication he's been secretly put on by the other teachers. There is one educator who feels the focus should be on academics, but despite the old adage, at this school, those who can teach, teach gym and that's where LARRY SLIMP (Jason Bateman) has been exiled to. Immensely frustrated, Larry nurses a crush on science teacher MIRACLE GROHE (Maria Bamford), a woman whose superficial grasp on science is balanced by her superficial grasp on spirituality. Rounding out the staff is the aging German teacher WILLARD DEUTSCHEBOG (Henry Winkler), a deeply defeated man whose yearbook quotation reads "If I believed in reincarnation, I'd kill myself tonight." Uptight HELEN KLENCH (Cheri Oteri) is a librarian whose life's work in research and archiving can now be surpassed by the average Google search from the average cell phone. Proud ANDREW SAPIEN (Nick Kroll) is the flamboyant drama teacher. ENNIS HOFFTARD (Will Arnett) is a fellow teacher and a self-obsessed body builder who yearns to be thought of as a "cool dude" by his students. And finally there's HAPPY (Tom Kenny), the plotting secretive custodian who's assumed to be Hispanic despite the fact that his real name is Muhannad Sabeeh Fa'ach Nuaba. With a distinctive new look a combination of animation against a live-action backdrop Sit Down, Shut Up is a series for the young and old at heart. It lampoons modern society while exposing the dreams, flaws and struggling humanity of our first and most formative authority figures: teachers.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Jason Bateman, Niecy Nash Team for Fox Comedy

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:34:32 -0700

I love when people I like team up to make some cool new project happen, and that seems to be the case with Fox's new comedy pilot The Inn. I was excited enough to see that Reno 911!'s Niecy Nash was cast in the lead of the comedy. Sweetening matters further was its creator and writer, Arrested Development alum - and possessor of one of the best names in Hollywood -Abraham Higginbotham. And now there's word that Jason Bateman will be directing the show's pilot episode.

That's an awful lot of comedy talent in one little show. Of course, there's all the Arrested Development goodness from Bateman and Higginbotham. And Nash has been one of my top two favorite characters on Reno! for, well, forever (the other one is Wendi McLendon-Covey, a.k.a. Deputy Clementine Johnson). If Nash can bring even a smidgen of the crazy/funny she offers up in Reno!, I'm sold.

I admit I wasn't too excited about the pilot from its description: an Upstairs, Downstairs-style show set in a swanky New York hotel. It just reminded me a little too much of Welcome to the Captain over on CBS. But with Nash in front of the camera and Bateman behind it, I'll definitely give it a try if it makes it through the pilot phase and becomes a series. You?

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The Vampire Diaries "162 Candles": The Good, The Bad and The Bloody

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:30:41 -0800

It's a party on this week's The Vampire Diaries for Stefan's birthday, but it's hardly a cake and merriment fest. Our broody hero finally gets a chance to smile, but of course, it's taken away from him quickly.

Ready to chat about the good, the bad, and the bloody? Watch out for spoilers when you read more.

The Good

Stefan's girl BFF Lexi comes to town to give Stefan a proper 126nd birthday party, and she's a tough-talkin', sexy badass of a vampire. Can you believe that Arielle Kebbel is the same girl who played Lindsay on Gilmore Girls? In the preview, she seemed like a rival for Stefan's affections, but that's not the case at all; she's his (literally) oldest friend and apparently brings out the fun-loving beast in Stefan (hey writers, can we please get some flashback scenes of the good times with Lexi? That would be awesome). She also talks some sense into Elena, encouraging her not to ignore her real feelings for Stefan. Amen. Did you catch that very brief shot of Stefan with his shirt off? Elena could have just seen that and been convinced, but I guess Lexi's soul mate talk works too.
Bad boy Damon proves that he's not softening like I thought he was; his diabolical master plan includes pursuing Caroline's sheriff mother and pretending to help in the vampire hunt. He also engineers the demise of yet another character (more about that in The Bloody rundown), which is heartless and shocking, to say the least.
Bonnie and her awesome Grams make an appearance, apparently having had a sleepover/feather floating lesson. Grams explains that her necklace is her talisman and it chose her, which becomes even more obvious when it also shocks Caroline when she tries to snag it back for Damon. I was disappointed when I thought that was the extent of what we'd see of Bonnie and her witchery this week - until the very end, when Bonnie has a disturbing nightmare featuring her ancestor Emily Bennett and then actually wakes up in the cemetery near the Salvatore family grave. Spooky.

The Bad

Are we supposed to be rooting for Caroline and Matt to get together? I thought it was sweet and all for Matt to take care of Caroline and cuddle her when she's drunk, but I feel like we haven't been given enough to be invested in Matt. Sure, I feel for him losing his sister, but he and Caroline are still side characters to me, so I'm not excited about their pairing quite yet.

The Bloody

I knew something was up when Damon briefly leaves the party and attacks two amorous teens so blatantly; turns out, he pins that attack and all the previous ones on Lexi, supposedly to get the hunting squad off of him and Stefan.
I gasped audibly once again during this episode when the second vampire was killed in as many weeks. Even though Vicki was a more prominent character than Lexi was, I was still completely shocked that Damon stakes her so mercilessly. I really liked her character and loved that for once, someone could overpower Damon. I have a feeling that her little domination of him in the beginning of the episode had something to do with how easily he kills her, but it's still such a horrible thing to do to Stefan. I thought that the small part of Damon that's still human harbors a love for his brother, but I can't believe how deeply he's willing to hurt him.
Heartbroken over the murder of his friend, Stefan tells Elena he has to kill Damon. Which means: vampire fight! But Stefan can't do it; he just sticks the wooden stake in Damon's torso to hurt, but not destroy, him. Well, yeah, he's a star of the show. He can't go anywhere! And Stefan wants to spare him, blah, blah, blah.

From the looks of the preview, I definitely thought this week would just be a filler episode, but it managed to keep up the pace of last week's super intense and amazing "Haunted." A couple more things to think about: Lexi brings up an interesting point - Katherine and Elena look so alike, they could be related. This is a small town with residents whose roots go deep; could they be related? It's an interesting thought. Also, the best way to end an episode is a ghostly Emily Bennett telling Bonnie "It's coming." What's coming? Ack, it's so ominous and exciting, I can't wait to find out what it means! What did you think of this week's episode? And if you want a place to talk more about the show, join Hooked on Vampire Diaries in the Buzz Community!

Photos courtesy of The CW

Buzz Battle: What Is the Scariest Movie Ever?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

We're almost at the end of our long battle to determine the Scariest Movie of All Time. The two movies left standing are definitely among the classics of the horror genre: The Exorcist and The Shining. We've heard some pretty heavy arguments for each side, (particularly from my girl Fab, a horror aficionado who is on team Shining all the way) - and even the Buzz editors stand as a team divided. In today's Buzz battle, we'll give you our arguments on why each movie deserves the ultimate title.

Editor S will support The Shining while Editor B will make a case for The Exorcist. Don't forget to make your own pick after reading our arguments!

Editor S: As someone's who's long been a chicken about watching scary movies, I tend to get freaked out by a horror flick, and then eventually get over it. I have never gotten over The Shining. It's scary because it's more disturbing than anything; it's not a supernatural story like The Exorcist that you can choose not to believe in; cabin fever could realistically happen to someone - someone you know.
Editor B rebuttal: I will admit that I do think The Shining is terrifying, but it didn't haunt me the way The Exorcist does. That face? That voice? The imagery of a girl crabwalking backwards down the stairs is imprinted in my brain! You can't unsee that kinda stuff, though I wish I could. And cabin fever may be real, but The Exorcist left me believing that maybe possession is real too.

To see the rest of the arguments, just read more.

Editor S: The Shining has just about every horrific horror film element you can think of: gore, psychological disintegration, cabin fever, possession; but none of them define the movie. It's such a complex, well done film with great acting and directing. While there are a few shocks, some of the scariest moments of the movie are the quietest, like when you gaze down an empty hall, see Jack at his desk, working, or discover what's been typed on Jack's typewriter over and over again with his wife. Because the terror is so simmering and pervasive in the movie, there's no time you can stop stressing out, no calm scenes in between the madness.
Editor B rebuttal: The Exorcist has all the elements that make horror films fun and terrifying at the same time. Monstrous images? Check. Creepy child? Check. Excessive amounts of bodily fluids (hello, green bile)? Check. Not to mention the over-the-top campiness, suspenseful moments, and perhaps the scariest theme music of all time. Oh, and levitation. Talk about being stressed out - just when you think there's a safe moment, a vision of the devil flashes across the scene, trying to brainwash us all.
Editor S closing argument: With most scary movies, you can become desensitized to a gory murder scene, tell yourself it's just a movie, but that doesn't work with The Shining. It stays with you more; even as great an actor as Jack Nicholson is, I'll never not see him wielding an axe at his terrified wife. And I'm also irrationally scared of empty hotels.
Editor B: The Exorcist is the kind of movie that you can watch at 10:30 in the morning, surrounded by friends and family, and still be scared to your core. (Ever had a daymare? This is the fast track to get you there). Jack Nicholson went on to find fame with other films, but nobody could ever look at Linda Blair again without envisioning her head turning all the way around.

So, which movie has your vote?

FlashForward Breakdown, "Black Swan"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:30:00 -0700

It's been two weeks since the blackouts, and in this week's episode of FlashForward, the people of the world are slowing getting back into their old routines. The only problem is, their outlook on the world is a bit marred to say the least. Nicole finally resurfaces, Olivia and Bryce spar over the meaning of the flashforwards, and Demetri and Mark come to blows.

We get a little more insight, a glimpse at Dominic Monaghan and one very big reveal, so just read more.

Can the future really save people?
Olivia and Bryce meet Edward Ned (who hilariously insists on being called "Ned Ned"), a new patient with a constant sense of calm and a conviction that in sixth months he'll have transformed into a black man ("like Oprah black"). At first he just seems nuts, until Bryce uses Ned's vision to diagnose him. Still trying to convince herself that the flashforwards may not come true, Olivia refuses to use Bryce's method and nearly kills Ned before changing her mind. Ned declares that the "future saved him" and Bryce agrees. But what about the people who are afraid of their visions? Can the future save them too, in that they can somehow avoid what they see? (Side note: I almost choked when I recognized Ned as Todd from Wedding Crashers).

Does Nicole deserve to be punished?
Nicole finally picks up her baby-sitting gig again, and it's revealed that she and Aaron are connected through his daughter Tracy. Clearly disturbed by her vision, Nicole seeks out a priest in hopes to start some volunteer work. She eventually reveals to Mark that she's being drowned in her flashforward, and the murder feels deserved. But why? Mark assures her that she did nothing wrong, but we all know it won't be that simple. In the pilot Nicole is gettin' busy on the couch while Charlie is sleeping, so she has a bad girl side. But now that she knows her possible fate, what could she do to warrant a punishment like that? Also, I could be wrong about this - but her attacker looked like he could definitely be Dominic Monaghan, aka Simon.

What's the deal with Alda Herzog?
Referred to as the "female Osama Bin Laden," Alda Herzog is clearly shady - but what does she know about the blackouts? She toys with both Demetri and Mark, sending them on a wild goose chase to the Customer Choice Restaurant Group, and later telling Mark that he's just "a little boy in the dark." She easily gets a rise out of both of them, even prompting Mark and Demetri to start a fist fight. I can't help but wonder if she's got them totally wrapped around her finger, a la Nazi Guyer from last week's episode, or if she's really sent Mark down the right path to get some answers.

How is LLoyd Simcoe involved in the blackout?
Lloyd continues to struggle with caring for Dylan after spending so many years as an absentee father. He continues to try to garner help from Olivia, but she pushes him away in constant fear of her flashforward. Lloyd has a tender moment at Dylan's house as he attempts to learn a little bit about his boy, and the two make a connection back at the hospital. Everything is all puppies and roses until he gets a call from Simon - who implies that the two are responsible for causing the blackouts.

Other points:

I loved the Shakespeare in Love throwback when Mark is being silly with Charlie: "You're the Shakespeare of cheesy dad humor!"

The opening of the episode, set to Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet" was a very poetic way to look at the blackouts - especially since we can't hear all the catastrophic noise and commotion that usually defines the incident.

There seems to be a long focus on the "Pimp" necklace during the trailer park scene. Is that going to come back to haunt us?

What'd you think of this week's episode? Do you think there's a connection between those who see hopeful visions and those that see hurtful ones?