BuzzSugar

More Chuck, Less Trauma, and Scrubs On the Way!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:30:24 -0700

Earlier this week I broke down the ins and outs of Fall TV with my scorecard, but there are a few new developments to add. First, we've got another one to add to the R.I.P. list - NBC has pulled the plug on Trauma, and the show will be removed from the lineup after the initial 13 episodes are aired. I can't say I'm particularly sad about this development, since it means good news for one of my favorites: NBC has ordered six more episodes of Chuck, which was originally intended to have a shortened season. Plus, now that Trauma is out, it's more likely that Chuck will be back even sooner than March!

That's not all the news for today: the new (and improved?) Scrubs is officially on its way, with the season premiere scheduled for December 1 at 9 p.m. Hopefully the show will add some much-needed punch to the Tuesday night lineup which is a little lackluster right now.

So, will you miss Trauma? Or are you too excited about more Chuck and Scrubs to care?

Link Time!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:30:04 -0700

Mad Men's Christina Hendricks got hitched! Check out the wedding photos - PopSugar
Bryan Singer calls dibs on another X-Men movie - Collider
Macy's Parade turns down the cast of Glee. Huh?! - TMZ
Alicia Keys is releasing her new album on Dec. 1. Get an early listen - HitFix
Think you know your Survivor history? Take the TV trivia quiz! - TV.com
Jimmy Kimmel follows in Letterman's footsteps and admits to a relationship with a staffer - Vulture
The new Chuck season may get bumped to an earlier premiere date - Ausiello Files
Jamie Oliver is taking reality TV to America's unhealthiest city - FitSugar
The biblical story of Moses is getting Hollywood's 300-style treatment. Here are five other ancient epics that should too - Cinematical
Where the Wild Things Are and eight other books that are impossibly hard to film - MTV Movies Blog

Buzz News Roundup, 8/28

BuzzSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:30:27 -0700

Kristin Chenoweth will be a guest judge on the next season of American Idol. - Zap2it
Mad Men's Christina Hendricks will join Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel in Life as We Know It. - Variety
Laura Linney will star in The C Word, a new comedy pilot for Showtime about a suburban wife battling cancer. - The Hollywood Reporter
Robin Williams will star in the romantic comedy Wedding Banned. - Reuters
Brandon Routh, most famous for his role in Superman Returns, will have a recurring role on the upcoming season of Chuck. - Entertainment Weekly
Daniel Craig will star in the psychological thriller Dream House. - Coming Soon
TNT has ordered a third season of Leverage. - Variety
Helen Mirren has signed on for a film adaption of Graham Greene's Brighton Rock. - Variety

TCA Tidbits: NBC Talks Southland, Chuck, Heroes, and More

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:30:22 -0700

With Ben Silverman leaving NBC earlier this Summer, reporters were bound to be a little chippy at NBC's executive session today at the TCA press tour. There were plenty of questions about how NBC's entertainment president, Angela Bromstad, would define NBC's brand (apparently it includes Heroes, The Office, and The Apprentice equally?), but we also got some concrete info about shows like Southland and Friday Night Lights. Some details:

Bromstad said Southland "tried to do too much" in its first six episodes and became too serialized. When it returns, it will focus more on Ben McKenzie and Regina King's characters.
With regard to the rumor that Chuck could return sooner than March, Bromstad said March is still the plan. But she said the show is in a good place production-wise (several scripts are already done), and "it is something we can move around." One other possibility is having the show be part of the Summer schedule.
Speaking of Summer, that's when Friday Night Lights will be back on NBC. (It will air on DirecTV before that - an Oct. 28 premiere date was just announced.) Bromstad said the show just doesn't have the ratings to justify a place on the Fall schedule, but it can be a "premier" show in the Summer.

For thoughts on Medium, Day One, and Heroes, just read more.

On the decision to cancel Medium (now on CBS), Bromstad said it was "a show we debated picking up until the very end."
Bromstad acknowledged that NBC hadn't been as strong as it could be creatively in the past few years and is committed to "bringing back those high-quality, sophisticated dramas and comedies" that had once been the network's hallmark.
If you've been looking forward to the upcoming Day One, here's something to bear in mind: the network is thinking of the show more as a special event rather than an ongoing series that would come back for more seasons. But if it does well, the door is open for a possible return.
Regarding Bryan Fuller leaving Heroes, Bromstad said Fuller was really there to get the show back on track, which she feels has happened. Now, Fuller's concentrating on development for the network: "Bryan at this point in his career really is looking to create his own shows."

Keep following all the news from TCA here and on Twitter all week long!

Photos courtesy of NBC

Chuck's Vik Sahay Talks Jeffster and Jealousy

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:30:07 -0700

One of the rowdiest panels I saw at this year's Comic-Con was the one for Chuck, which included a live performance by Jeffster - aka the show's Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky. How did it feel to be the singer at the center of all those screaming fans? I recently chatted with Sahay himself to find out. Here are highlights:

So after rocking Comic-Con, what's the going rate now to book Jeffster?
We now have to pay a little less to perform. That's the rate. I don't think anybody's going to pay us yet! No - it was insane, Comic-Con.

Craziest crowd reception you've ever received?
Well, my family's pretty good. No, I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that.

Chuck fans are obviously well-known for their absolute love of the show. What's it like to be on a show with that kind of fan base?
It's indescribable, honestly. It's so gratifying and moving and overwhelming and kind of startling, and it gets me a little emotional. I remember that I did a show in Canada, and the show got canceled, and I was in a grocery store and some people came up to me and were like, "Hey, are you on that show? Ah, too bad it got canceled." And I was kind of blown away by that! So this - it's just like a tidal wave of feeling. There's so much joy, I think, in the fans.

So I know you talked a bit about the origins of Jeffster at Comic-Con, but how did you get to be the singer?
Good question, after you've heard me sing. I don't know what that bizarro, brainy, brilliant group of writers were thinking. Literally one day, we were shooting some episode and one of them came up to me and said, "Can you sing?" And I was like, "No." And they said, "OK, well, you're gonna."

And what did you feel then?
Utter terror. Pure, violent terror. I thought the idea was so funny, and I was so happy to have more to do, and then I was like, "Oh my God, I have to sing these songs" - you know, I was like, "What's the song?" And they were like, "We'll tell you, we'll tell you." We don't know until the last second, and then I've got to go rehearse and get them down. What I have to do basically is almost close my eyes and jump in with utter abandon.

To find out if he has any dream Jeffster songs and what TV character Sahay thinks is Lester's dramatic counterpart, just read more.

Do you have any songs you dream of rocking as Jeffster?
I picked "Fat Bottom Girls" [for Comic-Con]. I was just like, this is the song - this has got to be the song - mainly because I think Freddie Mercury is Lester's icon. But . . . it's hard to dream about songs that I myself have to sing. I'm a huge fan of music, and to actually go, "Well, you are now going to have to sing it," part of me goes, "Well, shouldn't it be the simplest, easiest song?" And part of me goes, "No, it's gotta be the coolest, biggest song." Somebody said, "Oh, you should be singing Prince," and I was like, "I'd love to be able to sing Prince, but he's magic!"

As you mentioned, we got to see Lester do a lot more in the second season - often with Jeff, about whom we learned some disturbing things, too. Do you have any favorite Lester moments thus far?
When we first came together as Jeffster, it was in an episode called "Chuck vs. the Best Friend," and I think what I really liked about that episode was that it kind of showed, in a hilarious and as you say disturbing way, the kind of social "misfits that fit" that Lester and Jeff are. . . . In everybody else, Lester finds total judgment, and from Jeff, he kind of finds a soft place to land, so to speak. He finds benevolence and sweetness. I think because Jeff's kind of got his own little bubble of a world that he lives in, I think he really likes Lester, and I really like seeing somebody - somebody - actually love Lester.

So at the end of season two, there were a lot of changes to the Buy More lineup. In season three, will we still see the Buy More?
I don't know. I think there's going to be some Buy More. I think it's up in the air how much, what kind of role it will play. But to be honest with you, I don't know. . . . They don't tell me anything.

What do you think Lester thinks of Chuck at this point?
I think that Lester just sees him as a guy who is utterly absent from his job - and ultimately he quit - and yet still has all the charm and power and charisma that I think Lester wants incredibly badly. Lester wants it so badly that he does bad things. I think he's just viciously, viciously jealous of Chuck.

Are you hooked on any TV shows right now yourself?
I literally just sat down - in a day, day and a half, in a kind of detox from Comic-Con - and watched the entire last season of Mad Men. I hadn't seen it, don't know why, and I sat down and was like, "Well, I'll just watch one episode." And then I ended up watching all 13. Sometimes I look at the character of Pete Campbell, especially in the first season, and I go, "That is the dramatic version of Lester." This kind of guy who just wants to be Don Draper - Lester just wants to be Chuck.

Photos courtesy of Source and NBC

Chuck and His Friends Rock Out at Comic-Con

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:30:45 -0700

The award for rowdiest panel that I saw at Comic-Con went to the cast of Chuck. After teetering on the edge of cancellation, Josh Schwartz and his band of merry geeks/spies couldn't have been jollier about shooting the breeze with fans - and with each other. The panel started with a hilarious performance by Jeffster (watch the video after the jump!), and everyone was on their feet as Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky took on Queen's "Fat-Bottomed Girls." That was just the beginning, though, so read on for more Chuck goodies.

First of all, this was by far the most crowded panel I saw all weekend. The fact that the full cast was there in addition to Josh Schwartz and co-creator Chris Fedak really showed how much the actors care about the show and appreciate their fans. As Zach Levi put it, "We're here because of you guys. I felt cautiously optimistic, but when you have the best fans in the world who will go and eat multiple Subway sandwiches and start grassroots campaigns, and stay with you from thick and thin and believe in you as a cast and a crew . . . you guys are incredible, I love you so much. Thank you so much."
There was no shortage of name-calling, goofing around, and teasing on stage. You could tell that these guys are a family and enjoy each others' company. Adam Baldwin (Casey) seemed to be a common target and Schwartz even joked that with the new budget cuts, "we can only afford for Adam to grunt."
Schwartz hinted that something "emotional and traumatic" will have happened between Chuck and Sarah when the show returns. That's a tease if I ever heard one.
On the bright side, Schwartz also mentioned that the show might be returning sooner than originally planned (right now it's set to start after the Winter Olympics). Yay!

For more details on season three, just read more.

Twist alert: There's a "glitch in the system" and apparently Chuck's new powers (like the newly named "chuck fu") aren't exactly permanent. When he flashes on something, he'll only have the power for a set period of time before losing it.
Now that he's in on the secret, Devon will find himself in the midst of the spy world a lot more. All together now: awesome.
Even though Chuck left the Buy More in the dust, the store will still be a part of the show.
Looks like we'll get more of Sarah's backstory, and even get to meet that sister she mentioned.

Jeffster!

Comic-Con 2009: Part Two

PopSugarUK — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:31:48 -0700

While David Tennant and John Barrowman showed their love for each other at Comic-Con in San Diego at the weekend, there were plenty of other celebs out promoting their upcoming movies and TV shows. Lost, Heroes, Dollhouse and Chuck all had stars attending and mixing with fans, while movie stars Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and many more glammed up for the convention. Don't forget to check out part one of my catch up if you missed it!

View Slideshow ›

TV Wedding Moments: Chuck

BuzzSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:30:11 -0700

As I'm celebrating the renewal of Chuck, it seems only fitting to continue my wedding season coverage with one of the most off-beat TV wedding moments of the year. In Chuck's season two finale, "Chuck vs. The Ring," a major fight scene goes down while Ellie and Devin are supposed to be saying their vows.

This scene is awesome for many reasons, but here are just a few: Lester and Jeff (as Jeffster!) pinch-hit for the wedding band, stalling the ceremony with a spirited vocals-and-keytar take on "Mr. Roboto." Sarah picks off some bad guys using a set of wedding knives - who knew that some registry cutlery could come in so handy? Flowers and frosted cakes get annihilated by gunshots. And some paratroopers ultimately save the day at the expense of one lovey-dovey ice sculpture.

To check out this rather unconventional wedding scene for yourself, just read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Chuck's Back! NBC Orders 13 More Episodes

BuzzSugar — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:00:00 -0700

It's a big day for Chuck fans: As various sources are reporting (and Warner Bros. itself is confirming), NBC's lovable spy show will be back for a third season!

It's the latest in a weekend of crazy bubble show renewals that also include Dollhouse, Castle, and Scrubs, among others. And it's just the start for the madness to come during network Upfront week.

Now, there's a catch to this good news for Chuck: NBC only ordered 13 episodes (down from the normal 22 or so), and Warner Bros. will have to cut the show's budget pretty significantly - which means the show will lose some writers, some regular roles may become recurring guest stars, and we'll probably see fewer cast members in each episode. That's a bummer, but it's probably to be expected in this economy. And besides, if Chuck can blow us away each week on a tighter budget, maybe it'll be around for seasons to come.

Bottom line: I couldn't be more excited to get to see Chuck's new kung fu skills (and who knows what else!) on my TV this year. The show's time slot is still up in the air, but we should know more when NBC announces its full schedule on Tuesday. For now, let's get a hooray for the Nerd Herd down here in the comments.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Chuck Rundown: Episode 22, "Chuck vs. The Ring"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:30:29 -0700

And that's how you do a finale. This season's last episode of Chuck has it all: romance, drama, fight scenes, Jeffster!, intrigue, nostalgia, and a good deal of promise for - please, oh please - a third season. And despite warnings from the show's creators, I'm not exactly burning my living room over it; I'm just excited that I got to see one darn fine hour of television. Ready to talk about it? Just read more.

Chuck knows kung fu! He knows kung fu and heaven knows what else, because he puts the Intersect back into his brain, and it turns out to be more powerful than anyone knew. It may be too powerful, as his dad suggests - and, if we're lucky, we'll get to find out. But for the moment, all we need to know is: Chuck voluntarily downloaded the Intersect, and he's not only a hero for it but potentially an action superstar.

And I suppose he'll be needing those powers to take on The Ring - if, indeed, that's what they're called. There's something big and bad beyond Fulcrum, some organization of spies that's never been defeated (except, apparently, by Chuck's magic martial arts skills). Their mission and motives seem shadowy so far: they shoot Roark, let Casey live, and kill Bryce Larkin (I assume, this time, for good). What do they want? How do they fit in? Will we ever get to find out? NBC, call me!

And I've only talked about the last 10 minutes! Honestly, "Chuck vs. The Ring" is exhausting: it's a big cycle of happiness followed by disaster, rinse, repeat. Chuck and Casey quit their Buy More jobs, but then Chuck learns Sarah is heading on a mission with Bryce. Chuck's ready to get his sister married, but then Ted Roark shows up. Casey manages to immediately make good on a promise and parachute in to take Roark down, but then Ellie's perfect wedding is reduced to a pile of torn silk and melted ice sculpture. The happiest moments in the episode, as it turns out, come smack in the middle, when Chuck realizes he can still give Ellie her dream wedding, thanks to a fat government check and a team of the most detail-oriented wedding planners around. The next time you need a secluded beach location, nonclashing bunting, and begonias on short notice, just give the NSA a call.

Maybe my sense of happiness is screwed up, but I find a lot of joy in this episode, even when bad things are about to happen. Take, for example, Jeffster!'s vocorder-laden rendition of "Mr. Roboto," which ends up becoming the score to one of the greatest throwdowns in Chuck history. Or Sarah telling Bryce that she won't be going away with him after all. Or Chuck's dad clocking Ted Roark. At the 40-minute mark, when Awesome and Ellie walked down the makeshift aisle to Chuck's whoops and cheers, I thought Chuck had already delivered one of the most fabulous finales I've ever seen. And that's even before the new Intersect came along to change everything.

Some other thoughts:

Nice that Sarah's bridesmaid's dress apparently came ready for action. Also a good thing that knives are a fairly traditional wedding gift.
"Why are you letting Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian ruin your wedding?"
Chuck's dad has an Intersect, too! Not entirely surprising, at this point, but I was pretty excited to see him flash.
One of my favorite sequences involves the wedding fight, Honey Woodcombe taking a swig out of a flask, and Ellie meditating cross-legged in her wedding dress.
Yeah, I totally still don't get all of what the Orion wristband does.
So if Morgan, Chuck, and Casey are all gone from the Buy More, is there even a Buy More if there's a season three?
One more time, for posterity: Chuck knows kung fu!

So now we wait. May 4 - that's when NBC has to announce its Fall schedule. I just hope that when the news comes, it'll be that we get to see how Chuck uses his new powers, rather than just imagining scenes like that closing kung fu one over and over. In the meantime, let's chat about Chuck's new powers and everything else that went down in this finale!

Photos courtesy of NBC