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Link Time! 3/25

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:29:31 -0700

FitSugar wants to know: What are your thoughts on these billboards promoting Forgetting Sarah Marshall?
Popwatch asks about the shows you meant to watch, but never got to see before they were yanked (like the recently canned Jezebel James).
Speaking of which, TV Filter wonders: What killed Jezebel James - the time slot, the concept, something else?
Vulture has the - good? bad? baffling? - news that Scarlett Johansson's album has gotten at least one good review.
Got questions for the cast of the book-to-film adaptation of Twilight? Submit them to the MTV Movies Blog.
TV Squad looks at the magic that can happen when television and real life collide.
TV with MeeVee wonders what a TV series version of Children of Men might look like in the hands of Battlestar Galactica's David Eick.

TV Tonight: The Return of Jezebel James

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:30:00 -0700

It hurts me so much to write this post, because the fact is, The Return of Jezebel James should be my new favorite TV show. It stars Parker Posey, one of my favorite actresses of all time, alongside Lauren Ambrose, who absolutely stole my heart as Claire Fisher on Six Feet Under. It has an intriguing plot: The sister who has her life together (Posey) can't have children, so she asks her screwed-up younger sister (Ambrose) to carry a child for her. And the whole thing is created and written by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who made her mark with Gilmore Girls.

So it hurts me, truly, to say that I didn't like The Return of Jezebel James. When I talked to Amy Sherman-Palladino at the TCA press tour last summer, she said she wanted Jezebel to be a return to her sitcom roots, when she was a writer on Roseanne. But Sherman-Palladino's quick and witty dialogue just doesn't seem to lend itself well to a show with a laugh track. Both Posey and Ambrose - but especially Posey - feel too big for the very two-dimensional world of Jezebel. And, maybe worst of all, the two don't quite have a believable chemistry as sisters. That last part, I believe, would come with time - but, given the show's other problems and the fact that Fox has already cut its order to seven episodes and socked it into a killer Friday night time slot, I'm not sure the actresses will ever have that chance.

It's possible my expectations were just too high. Maybe I'm being too hard on poor Jezebel; maybe it is a return to the days of Roseanne (or, as Posey suggested, Family Ties) and nothing more. But I wanted more, and Jezebel just didn't deliver for me. Still have faith? The show's first two episodes air tonight starting at 8 p.m. EDT and PDT. To watch a preview, just read more.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Interview: Parker Posey on Jezebel James, Runway, and More

BuzzSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:30:53 -0700

Parker Posey doesn't speak in sentences; she speaks in stories. Ask her a question, and her incredibly detailed response will often start with the line "So I was doing this play in New York . . . " and then dart all over the place before ultimately reaching the answer.

I had the chance to chat with Posey last summer at the TCA press tour, when she was first promoting The Return of Jezebel James. The show, which co-stars Lauren Ambrose of Six Feet Under and was created and written by Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, finally premieres Friday night on Fox. So, I figured it was time to share Posey's thoughts on her new co-star, her move to the small screen, and even her path to becoming a Project Runway guest judge a couple of seasons back. Here were highlights:

On becoming a fan of Ambrose through Six Feet Under: "I was a huge fan of her in the show. I was hooked. [Tells long story about breaking her finger doing a play in New York and renting the first season's DVDs while she was recuperating.] I had Monday off. I watched the entire first season, high on Vicodin, crying and eating lasagna from takeout somewhere, and I was like, 'This is the greatest time ever. I'm working on this play, I had one day off, I'm watching the best TV ever.'"
On learning Ambrose would be cast as her sister: "It just made sense. . . . When I met her, she really reminded me of my cousin, so I knew there was something about us. I don't know her that well, but there's something about us that's relatable."

More from Posey about her move to TV and the ProjRun connection, so read more.

On why she'd move to TV right now: "I read [the script] and I liked it. It makes sense to me. . . . It mostly was the writing and the ease of the writing and how much I could hear the voice. It was so inhabited, it flew off the page and just soared. I loved how classy it was. It was classy and clean and sweet and smart. . . . It reminded me of Family Ties, family sitcoms. I think that's the demographic right there."
On finally getting to live in New York full time: "I had a whole tub of sweaters that I had forgotten about because I had been traveling around so much. Now I can be really grounded, live and work - that will be normal for me."
On how she came to guest-judge Project Runway's first-season finale: "I was doing a play in New York called Hurly Burly . . . It's about the movie business and they're all coked out and crazy. I played a fashion photographer who's kind of in love with the bad guy. Our dark days were Sundays, and that's when the Project Runway marathons were on Bravo. That's how I would wind down - I'd watch the entire marathon. So then I got a call, and it was my publicist, and he said, 'Would you like to be a guest judge on Project Runway?" I was like, "That's weird, I'm totally obsessed with it!"

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Buzz News Roundup, 10/15

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:27:48 -0700

Variety has the news that Fox has ordered fewer scripts of Amy Sherman-Palladino's new comedy series, The Return of Jezebel James.
Zap2It reports that Helen Mirren will star alongside Joe Pesci in Love Ranch, a movie about a legalized brothel in Nevada.
EW has the scoop on George Lucas' live-action Star Wars TV series.
According to Billboard, Led Zeppelin's music will finally be available digitally as of November 13.
Logan Marshall-Green of The OC and Traveler will play the lead in a new Fox pilot about a Harvard-educated rookie cop, Variety reports.
Matt Dillon will portray Leonard Chess in a biopic about the founder of Chicago blues label Chess Records, Reuters reports.
The threat of a Hollywood writers' strike is keeping some struggling new shows on the air for longer than normal, Broadcasting & Cable reports.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Casting Roundup: "Jezebel," "Betty," "FNL"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:30:42 -0700

The totally awesome Dianne Wiest has joined the cast of "The Return of Jezebel James", playing the mother of Coco (Lauren Ambrose) and Sarah (Parker Posey). That's three awesome ladies on one screen, especially given Wiest's particular skill at playing the crazy mother. Here's hoping the show itself can match up.
Speaking of awesome, multi-time Emmy winner Marlo Thomas - aka "That Girl" - will guest-star on "Ugly Betty" as a jewelry company owner with a weakness for younger men, including one Daniel Meade. Saucy!
TV Guide says Alyssa Milano will play a love interest for Earl on the upcoming season of "My Name is Earl." Could it be a serious love match? She's reportedly on board for at least eight episodes.

Also from TV Guide: Edie Falco has booked a three-episode run on "30 Rock," former ER doctor Michael Michelle has a guest spot on the upcoming season of "House" as a CIA doctor, and Jessalyn Gilsig of "Nip/Tuck" will play Tami Taylor's sassy sister on "Friday Night Lights," sticking around for at least six episodes.
So you wanna be one of the new "American Gladiators"? Now's your chance. NBC is holding a cross-country search for gladiators and contenders, starting in Los Angeles on Saturday. Hmm, that's not much time to get in shape ...

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Pilot Watch: "The Return of Jezebel James"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 09:29:00 -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: Fox's "The Return of Jezebel James."

What's it about? Two estranged sisters - a driven book editor and an alterna-slacker - reconnect when the younger sister agrees to carry the older one's baby.

Who's in it? Parker Posey, Lauren Ambrose, Michael Arden, Scott Cohen

The good: The show is written by Amy Sherman-Palladino of "Gilmore Girls" fame, and the first episode packs in plenty of her signature snappy dialogue. Posey and Ambrose have a great sisterly chemistry, and the plot seems full of potential for at least a couple of strong seasons.

The bad: The production of this show was a huge turnoff for me. It's a half-hour comedy that should be a one-hour drama - or, at the very least, a comedy produced more in the style of "The Office." At least a couple of good lines got buried in the distracting laugh track, and the show felt very sound-stage-y - I'm not sure there was a single exterior shot! The episode also seemed rushed, as though 30 minutes wasn't enough for all the plot and character development the writers wanted to do.

Will I watch? This show has two of my favorite actresses and one of my favorite writers, so I want it to be good. But I have to say, if this show doesn't change a lot before it makes it to the air at midseason, I don't think I'll be watching.

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

"The Return of Jezebel James"

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Photos and video courtesy of Fox

Get a Sneak Peek of the New Fox Shows!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 23:30:28 -0700

Thanks to Fox, we now have sneak previews of that network's new fall shows, to add to the clips we've already seen from ABC, NBC, CBS and the CW. I'm eager to hear what you think of these clips, so get watching!

"New Amsterdam" (pictured above)
I still think this story of an immortal detective is the strangest of Fox's shows.

"The Return of Jezebel James"
Somehow, I think this would be much better without the laugh track.

I've got clips from the other Fox shows plus lots of photos, so read more

"Back to You
I must admit, I do kind of like Kelsey Grammer.

"Canterbury's Law"

"Sarah Connor Chronicles"
I wonder if you have to be really into the Terminator movies to like this?

"K-Ville"

"The Rules for Starting Over"
I wonder when I'll stop seeing Rashida as Karen from "The Office"?

"K-Ville"

View 4 Photos ›

"New Amsterdam"

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"Back to You"

View 3 Photos ›

"Canterbury's Law"

View 5 Photos ›

"The Return of Jezebel James"

View 4 Photos ›

"Sarah Connor Chronicles"

View 6 Photos ›

"The Rules for Starting Over"

View 4 Photos ›

Photos and video courtesy of Fox

The Fox Fall Schedule: My Take

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 13:35:07 -0700

Now that I've had a while to think through the new Fox fall schedule, I have some thoughts on which news is good, which is bad and which is still a little baffling. Take a spin through my list, then let me know what you think. (Don't forget to look at my thoughts on the ABC, NBC and CBS schedules, too!)

"The Rules for Starting Over," starring Rashida Jones, got picked up for midseason - so do you think Karen's going to corporate tonight?
At first glance, Fox's schedule looked like such a confusing jumble that I wasn't sure I understood what they were doing - but on second thought, I think parts of it could be brilliant. One of the big problems with TV this year was shows being split up by lots and lots of midseason repeats, losing their momentum (and viewers) along the way. Fox seems to want to run more shows straight through ("24" style) and replace them with a new show when the episodes run out, and I think that's a good move. On the other hand, moving so many shows around to new time slots midseason just seems like a way to frustrate viewers.

For the moment. there's no mention of "American Idol" being on Thursdays at all next year; the current schedule would keep it at a maximum of two nights per week. Fingers crossed.

A few more thoughts, so read more

I'm not usually a cop show kind of gal, but "K-Ville" actually intrigues me. It's the first fictional show to be set in post-Katrina New Orleans, and I hope the series comes up with an appropriate and interesting way to show the hurricane's aftermath.
Julianna Margulies was one of my favorites on "ER" back in the day, so I'm glad she's back with her own show. "Canterbury's Law," though, doesn't sound like appointment TV for me.
Fox had more shows marked "working title" than any other network this week. "The Return of Jezebel James," "The Search for the Next Great American Band," "The Rules for Starting Over" and "Nashville" all could be getting new names before they premiere. (Thank goodness.)
Speaking of "Jezebel James," I'm so glad I'll get to see this show - and with Lauren Ambrose in the cast, most of the core "Six Feet Under" cast (Peter Krause, Rachel Griffiths, Michael C. Hall) will be back on TV somewhere.
I cannot believe "New Amsterdam" got picked up, I really can't. I like Lasse Hallstrom's films, but this show just sounds baffling.

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Fox Adds Something New for Every Night of the Week

BuzzSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:40:09 -0700

Fox closed out Upfronts today by announcing 10 new shows, including the New Orleans cop tale "K-Ville" (pictured above), the band-focused "American Idol" spinoff, and the immortal detective story "New Amsterdam." Six of the new series will premiere in the fall, before the network shuffles its schedule in the spring to make room for four more new shows plus "American Idol" and "24."

Among returning shows, here's a sampling of the big news:

"House" is one of the few shows staying put in its time slot all season. "Prison Break" will take a midseason hiatus, and "Bones" will start on Wednesdays, then later move to Fridays.
"'Til Death" will return on Wednesdays and will get to reclaim its post-"Idol" slot in the spring.
"Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" got a full-season order and will kick off the Thursday night lineup. Ugh!

Here's the network's official press release, and to see the schedule and read descriptions of the new shows, read more

All caps = new show

MONDAY (Fall)
8-9 p.m. "Prison Break"
9-10 p.m. "K-VILLE"

MONDAY (January)
8-9 p.m. "K-VILLE"
9-10 p.m. "24"

MONDAY (Spring)
8-9 p.m. "Prison Break"
9-10 p.m. "24"

TUESDAY (fall)
8-9 p.m. "NEW AMSTERDAM"
9-10 p.m. "House"

TUESDAY (January and Spring)
8-9 p.m. "American Idol"
9-10 p.m. "House"

WEDNESDAY (Fall)
8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU"
8:30-9 p.m. "'Til Death"
9-10 p.m. "Bones"

WEDNESDAY (January)
8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU"
8:30-9 p.m. "'Til Death"
9-10 p.m. "American Idol"

WEDNESDAY (Spring)
8-8:30 p.m. "BACK TO YOU"
8:30-9 p.m. "THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES"
9-9:30 p.m. "American Idol" results show
9:30-10 p.m. "'Til Death"

THURSDAY (Fall)
8-9 p.m. "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?"
9-10 p.m. "KITCHEN NIGHTMARES"

THURSDAY (January and Spring)
8-9 p.m. "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?"
9-10 p.m. "CANTERBURY'S LAW"

FRIDAY (Fall)
8-9 p.m. "THE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND"
9-10 p.m. "NASHVILLE"

FRIDAY (Spring)
8-9 p.m. "Bones"
9-10 p.m. "NEW AMSTERDAM"

SATURDAY (all year)
8-9 p.m. "Cops"
9-10 p.m. "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back"
11 p.m.-midnight "MadTV"
midnight-12:30 a.m. "Talk Show with Spike Feresten"

SUNDAY (Fall)
7-8 p.m. "The OT" (NFL post-game)
8-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons"
8:30-9 p.m. "King of the Hill"
9-9:30 p.m. "Family Guy"
9:30-10 p.m. "American Dad"

SUNDAY (Spring)
7-7:30 p.m. "King of the Hill"
7:30-8 p.m. "American Dad"
8-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons"
8:30-9 p.m. "Family Guy"
9-10 p.m. "THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES"

Fox also picked up "The Rules for Starting Over" as a midseason replacement show.

Whew! Now, here's how Fox describes the new shows:

"K-Ville"
From writer and executive producer Jonathan Lisco ("NYPD Blue," "The District") comes a heroic police drama set in New Orleans. Two years after Katrina, the city is still in chaos. Many cops have quit, and the jails, police stations and crime labs still haven't been properly rebuilt. But the cops who remain have courage to burn and a passion to reclaim and rebuild their city. MARLIN BOULET (Anthony Anderson, "The Departed," "The Shield") is a brash, funny, in-your-face veteran of the NOPD's Felony Action Squad, the specialized unit that targets the most-wanted criminals. Even when his partner deserted him during the storm, Boulet held his post, spending days in the water saving lives and keeping order. Now he's unapologetic about bending the rules when it comes to collaring bad guys. Boulet's new partner, TREVOR COBB (Cole Hauser, "The Break-Up," "ER"), was a soldier in Afghanistan before joining the NOPD. He's tough and committed, but if he's less than comfortable with Boulet's methods, it's because he's harboring a dark secret. Cobb has come to New Orleans seeking redemption, but redemption can be dangerous. Will Boulet be able to trust him? Will Cobb's past endanger them both? Rounding out the crew of cops are hotheaded BILLY "K-9" FAUST (Maximiliano Hernndez, "Law & Order," "Shark"), who often speaks before thinking; wisecracking JEFF "GLUE BOY" GOODEN (Blake Shields, "Sleeper Cell," "Veronica Mars"), the team's comic relief; tough-as-nails GINGER "LOVE TAP" LeBEAU (Tawny Cypress, "Heroes"), the only female on the squad, who gives as good as she gets; and CAPTAIN JAMES EMBRY (John Carroll Lynch, "Zodiac," "The Drew Carey Show"), who wrangles the eclectic personalities of his squad with equal parts humor and tenacity.

"New Amsterdam"
Directed and executive-produced by visionary Lasse Hallstrom ("My Life As a Dog," "The Cider House Rules," "Chocolat," "The Hoax") and written by Allan Loeb ("Things We Lost in the Fire," "21") and Christian Taylor ("Showboy," "Six Feet Under"), "New Amsterdam" is the story of a New York homicide detective unlike any other. He is brilliant, mysterious, reckless, magnetic, unknowable. And he has a profound secret: he is immortal. In 1642, JOHN AMSTERDAM (Nikolaj Coster Waldau, "Kingdom of Heaven"), then a Dutch solider in the colony of New Amsterdam later to become New York City stepped in front of a sword to save the life of a Native Indian girl during a massacre of her indigenous tribe. The girl in turn rescued Amsterdam, weaving an ancient spell that conferred immortality upon him. Amsterdam will not age, she told him, until he finds his one true love. Only then will he become whole and ready for mortality. But Amsterdam has found this to be a mixed blessing. Over the course of three centuries, he's experienced endless adventure and honed his many talents. But everyone Amsterdam meets must leave him in time; lovers and children die while he remains young. His sole confidant and current lifelong friend is the sage jazz club owner OMAR (Stephen Henderson, "Law & Order: SVU"), the keeper of Amsterdam's secret, as well as a few of his own. As the exhilaration of eternal life has given way to emotional isolation and bitter loneliness, Amsterdam discovers the blessing has become a curse. Bringing to bear the unorthodox techniques and unique knowledge gained from his vast life experience, Amsterdam today is one of the NYPD's best homicide detectives, sparring with his vibrant, strong-willed partner EVA MARQUEZ (Zuleikha Robinson, "Rome," "The Lone Gunmen") as they solve difficult murder cases. But when Amsterdam suffers and then recovers from what appears to be a massive heart attack while chasing a suspect, and DR. SARA DILLANE (Alexie Gilmore, "Find Love") pronounces him dead in the ER, he realizes that the Indian girl's prophesy may have come true he felt the pain in his heart that she had foretold so long ago. His soul mate must have been nearby. As he works to find a killer on the streets of New York, Amsterdam understands that his own life and possibly his death have changed forever.

"Back to You"
In the 90s, the local TV news scene in Pittsburgh was dominated by one team: CHUCK DARLING (Kelsey Grammer, "Frasier," "Cheers") and KELLY CARR (Patricia Heaton, "Everybody Loves Raymond"). They had that elusive quality all news teams need: chemistry ... at least on-screen. Off-screen, Chuck was a bit of a self-centered womanizer, Kelly a bit of an uptight know-it-all. So when Chuck got the call to move up to a larger market, no tears were shed. But after an embarrassing on-air tirade ended up on the Internet, Chuck found himself on the downswing career-wise. He even questioned whether his lifestyle of chasing women and living in hotels was as exciting as it used to be. So when he got the call to return to Pittsburgh, to reunite with Kelly and try to take the newscast back to No. 1, it was an offer he couldn't refuse. Back in Pittsburgh, Chuck has a new coworker in RYAN CHURCH (Josh Gad, "Mary and Joe"), the overstressed news director. There are also familiar faces like MARSH McGINLEY (Fred Willard, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "Best in Show"), the affable, endlessly inappropriate sports anchor, and GARY CREZYZEWSKI, pronounced Kre-shoov-ski (Ty Burrell, "In Good Company," "Out of Practice"), the perennially put-upon field reporter who always seems to get left out in the snow. But, mostly, there's Kelly, now a single mom to 10-year-old GRACIE (Laura Marano, "Without a Trace"). There was magic between them once. Can they find it again?

"Kitchen Nightmares"
Hell hath no fury like an angry chef, and no chef has a sharper temper than Gordon Ramsay when things go wrong in the kitchen. The star of the highly rated culinary boot camp "Hell's Kitchen" returns to FOX with another sizzling unscripted series. This time, Chef Ramsay hits the road in each episode, tackling a restaurant in crisis and exposing the stressful realities of trying to run a successful food business. Inspired by one of the UK's biggest hits, "Kitchen Nightmares" is seen in more than 50 territories around the globe, and the series reveals a whole new side to Ramsay. He's still prone to the explosive outbursts and spectacular confrontations familiar to fans of "Hell's Kitchen," but he also shows his sensitive and nurturing side a unique blend of fury, passion, inspirational leadership and tough love that can coax a small spark of talent into a roaring flame. There's no time for polite small talk as Ramsay embarks on his mission to turn things around. If the wine waiter's service isn't up to par, he'll be out the door before he can say "merlot." If the head chef doesn't match up to Ramsay's expectations, Ramsay will hammer him into shape, and if he can't stand the heat, he may quit the kitchen. Ramsay's reputation is on the line, so there's bound to be high blood pressure, raised voices and serious clashes as he attempts to do the impossible: turn a deserted dining room into the most sought-after venue in town in just a week.

"The Search for the Next Great American Band"
What "American Idol" did for individuals, "The Search for the Next Great American Band" is going to do for musical groups. The producers of "American Idol" will conduct the ultimate search for an undiscovered band. "The Search for the Next Great American Band" is scouring the country, seeking groups from all musical genres who think they have what it takes to make it big. Judges will narrow down bands from all walks of life musicians of different ages, family acts, garage bands, etc. to 10 semi-finalists, who will perform in front of a live studio audience. Viewers then will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite bands. The final three acts will compete for a major recording contract and the chance to become music superstars.

"Nashville"
From the creative minds behind the hit series "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" comes "Nashville," a high-stakes, high-drama docu-soap set in "the biggest small town in America." The show focuses on the dreamers and dream-makers in the music industry, as well as those trying to make their mark on Nashville's big business and high society. The series features a diverse, vibrant young cast perched on the cusp of achieving their greatest successes in a town that can make you or break you. Talent, power, drive, love and hope are the fuel that makes Nashville burn bright and makes this unique place the true embodiment of the American Dream. Behind every song there's a story waiting to be told, and there are many such stories in "Nashville."

"Canterbury's Law"
From executive producers Denis Leary and Jim Serpico ("Rescue Me," "The Job") and writer Dave Erickson ("Murder in Greenwich") comes "Canterbury's Law," a courtroom drama about a rebellious female defense attorney who's willing to bend the law in order to protect the wrongfully accused. ELIZABETH CANTERBURY (Julianna Margulies, "ER") is a force of nature. An attorney on the rise, she puts her career on the line to take on risky and unpopular cases, even when they take a toll on her personal life. Elizabeth and her law professor husband MATTHEW CANTERBURY (Linus Roache, "Batman Begins," "The Chronicles of Riddick"), haunted by the disappearance of their young son, have settled in Providence, Rhode Island, in an attempt to distance themselves from the tragedy and put their relationship back together. But those goals become elusive whenever Elizabeth's work provides a stark reminder of the justice absent in their own lives. At the office, Canterbury has surrounded herself with a brilliant but motley crew of attorneys. RUSSELL CROSS (Ben Shenkman, "Pi," "Angels in America") was forced out of the Providence District Attorney's Office when he went toe-to-toe with his morally bankrupt boss, D.A. Zach Williams. His reputation tarnished, Russell turned to Canterbury, the only attorney willing to take him in. Now Russell provides a much-needed voice of reason for Canterbury even when she doesn't want to hear it, his position of influence well-earned by their years of friendship. CHESTER FIELDS (Jocko Sims, "Dreamgirls," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") and MOLLY McCONNELL (Trieste Dunn, "United 93") are the associates rounding out Canterbury's legal crew. Chester is a blue-blooded congressman's son who is embarrassed by his privileged upbringing and has turned his back on politics. Molly, in contrast, is headstrong, passionate and quick to take sides even if she finds herself in the opposite corner from Canterbury.

"The Sarah Connor Chronicles"
Executive producers Josh Friedman ("War of the Worlds"), David Nutter ("Supernatural," "Smallville") and C-2 Pictures ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") bring to television an intense new drama based on the celebrated heroine of the "Terminator" movies: Sarah Connor. At the end of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," Sarah vanquished the liquid metal Terminator sent from the future to kill her teenage son, John. Sarah and John now find themselves alone in a very dangerous, complicated world. Fugitives from the law, they are confronted with the reality that still more enemies from the future, and the present, could attack at any moment. "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" reveals what happens when SARAH (Lena Headey, "The Brothers Grimm," "300") stops running and goes on the offensive against an ever-evolving technological enemy bent on destroying her life, and perhaps the world. Her son, 15-year-old JOHN CONNOR (Thomas Dekker, "Heroes"), knows that he may be the future savior of mankind, but is not yet ready to take on the mantle of leadership that he's told is his destiny. John finds himself inextricably drawn to CAMERON (Summer Glau, "Serenity," "The Unit"), an enigmatic and otherworldly student at his high school, who soon proves to be much more than his confidante she assumes the role of Sarah and John's fearless protector. On their trail are not only threats from the future, but an intelligent and tough FBI agent, JAMES ELLISON (Richard T. Jones, "Judging Amy"), who soon becomes a powerful ally. Directed by David Nutter and produced by Warner Bros. Television and C-2 Pictures, "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" represents an exciting reinvention of the "Terminator" franchise, in which the strong and intrepid Sarah discovers that protecting her son and stopping the rise of the machines is more difficult than she had ever imagined.

"The Return of Jezebel James"
Can two estranged sisters, polar opposites, live together when one agrees to carry the other's baby? SARAH THOMKINS (Parker Posey, "For Your Consideration," "Best in Show") is a bright, optimistic, determined woman who seems to have it all a great job as a children's book editor, an eager-to-please assistant, BUDDY (Michael Arden), who helps keep her life together, and a no-strings-attached personal relationship with successful businessman MARCUS SONTI (Scott Cohen, "Kissing Jessica Stein"). Nevertheless, as her father, RONALD (Ron McLarty, "Law & Order"), is constantly pointing out, something is missing from Sarah's life. Her hard work may garner accolades, but when she goes home at night, she is very much alone. All too aware that she isn't getting any younger, Sarah decides to have a baby on her own and gets the shock of her life when the doctor tells her she can't get pregnant. Having no concept of the term "can't," Sarah wills herself to execute a plan. With nowhere else to turn, Sarah sets up a meeting with her quirky younger sister, COCO (Lauren Ambrose, "Six Feet Under"), and proposes a plan for Coco to carry her baby. They haven't seen each other in a while, and Coco refuses to go along with such a huge favor. But something happens when Sarah mentions that she's turned Coco's imaginary childhood friend, Jezebel James, into a children's book. Even though she doesn't say so out loud, Coco is clearly touched, and, realizing that her current living situation sharing a couch with her friend's sick dog isn't working out, Coco decides that this just might be worth a try.

"The Rules for Starting Over"
From the creatively fruitful minds of the Farrelly Brothers comes a single camera comedy, set in Boston, about a group of newly single friends learning the painful lessons of starting over in their 30s. They'd all love to get remarried, if they could just find their true loves. JACK "GATOR" GATELY (Craig Bierko, "Cinderella Man," "Boston Legal") is a charismatic, optimistic leader who never expected to be single again. But now that he is, he's determined to make the best of it. He's going to sift through all the bruised, damaged, occasionally psychotic fruit until he finds "the one." Joining Gator in bachelorhood redux is his thrice-divorced best friend TOMMY (Johnny Sneed, "The Guardian," "Fever Pitch"). The founder and brewmaster of an upstart microbrewery, Tommy has a voracious appetite for food, beer and women. He falls in love easily and always disastrously, yet truly hopes his fourth starter marriage will be "the one." DR. FREDDY SAHGAL (Shaun Majumder, "24," "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") has seen some pretty strange stuff during his years as a successful surgeon, but he's never seen any of it through the eyes of a single man. Probably the least equipped of the group to handle this unexpected life change is Dr. Freddy, who can execute a triple bypass in his sleep, but is all thumbs when it comes to the opposite sex. Rounding out the group is KATE (Rashida Jones, "The Office"), a smart, successful attorney who handled all three of the boys' divorces. Having just turned 30, Kate finds herself dumped after a seven-year engagement. She reluctantly joins the guys in negotiating the treacherous waters of dating. Kate owns the brownstone next to Gator's. Over time, this pair may find that "the one" is just a brick wall away.

Photo courtesy of Fox

Fall TV Pilots: Best of the Rest

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 12:28:02 -0700

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 past few weeks, I've been 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 tough working women, the supernatural, British imports, and cops.

For this, the final installment before the networks begin announcing their schedules on Monday, I wanted to take a look at some of the most intriguing shows that don't fit into any of the trends. Sometimes these one-of-a-kind shows go on to become the biggest hits, so here are a few that caught my eye:

"Dirty Sexy Money": I hate the name, but I love everything else about this ABC drama pilot, which stars Peter Krause (at right) as an attorney who takes over his father's practice after his death and ends up thrust into the world of the Darlings, a wealthy and fundamentally screwed-up New York family. The series was created by Craig Wright, who was a writer on "Six Feet Under," and it also stars Donald Sutherland and William Baldwin. When I recently interviewed Krause, he said he almost didn't do the series because of comparisons to "Six Feet Under" but said it would be a funnier show that would examine "some of the more wobbly things in the world - greed, division between rich and poor, that sort of thing." It's been getting a ton of good buzz, and I'd be surprised if it doesn't earn a spot on ABC's schedule.

"Gossip Girl": The CW reportedly went gaga for this pilot from "The O.C." creator Josh Schwartz. The show is based on the popular book series about an anonymous teen girl blogger who dishes dirt on everyone at her wealthy private school. Schwartz has shown he knows the world of boozy, floozy rich kids, and the network is already talking like this is a sure thing.

Three more, so read more

"Pushing Daisies": The newest show from writer Bryan Fuller ("Wonderfalls," "Dead Like Me") is a modern fairytale focusing on a man who can briefly bring people back from the dead by touching them. He's going along fine, working alongside a private investigator friend, when one day he brings his childhood sweetheart back to life - and she stays alive. In a King Midas-style twist, if he ever touches her again, she'll die (for good). Kristin Chenoweth, Chi McBride and Swoosie Kurtz are among the stars of the offbeat ABC comedy, which reportedly had a strong pilot and is a good candidate for a series slot.

"The Return of Jezebel James": This show is second only to "Dirty Sexy Money" on my personal list of pilots I'd love to see. The Fox comedy from "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino stars two of my favorite actresses, Parker Posey (at left) and Lauren Ambrose, as estranged sisters who come together when the older sister (Posey) asks the younger to carry a baby for her. This is another pilot with a title I hate (it refers to a character that Ambrose's character made up as a kid and that Posey's has turned into a children's book), but I love the concept, and I'm not sure anyone does witty banter between women better than Sherman-Palladino.

"Viva Laughlin!": This CBS pilot deserves a mention if only because of its crazy concept: The show is envisioned as a musical - yes, a musical - about a family running a casino in Laughlin, Nevada. Starring Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith, the show sounds like quite the departure for the usually staid, reserved CBS. Of course, it easily could be a total disaster, but I certainly appreciate the effort.

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