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Five Questions For Fringe

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:30:36 -0700

It's still Summer for a few more weeks, so I'm continuing my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing questions for Fringe, which moves to Thursdays for its second season this Fall (check out a little promo after the jump).

How will the show deal with multiple universes? At Comic-Con and TCA, the show's producers swore up and down that Fringe will keep striving not to be overly complicated. But I'm curious to see how that actually works out now that there's a second universe in play. Will we switch back and forth a lot, or only occasionally? What are the rules of travel between the two? While I'm concerned this could get crazy, it's also one of the main things that has me intrigued and on board for season two.
Will a Thursday time slot be too tough? The show got a pretty solid launch last year, airing first after House and later after American Idol. Now Fox is showing a lot of faith in it by putting it in one of the toughest time slots on television, up against Grey's Anatomy and CSI. Will it be able to grow its audience on Thursdays - or even emerge relatively unscathed?

For my other three questions, just read more.

Will Astrid finally get more to do? Astrid getting a spot in Fringe's new cast photo gives me some hope that the junior agent will play a bigger role this season. I mean, I love it when her random tech and language skills get revealed, and it's funny to watch Walter once again forget her name, but all of that just makes me more eager for her (and actress Jasika Nicole) to get to do more than just answer the phone and hang out with Walter's cow.
Will Peter learn the truth about himself? We saw Walter standing in front of Peter's gravestone in the first season finale - but Peter didn't. Will he become more suspicious about his childhood? Will Walter slip up and reveal something that leads Peter to investigate? Or, now that Peter's more involved in Fringe Division, will he uncover the truth himself?
Will Olivia have more of a personal life? At TCA, the producers revealed they'd once considered an entire huge story arc around Olivia carrying on a romance with her dead lover but decided very clearly not to go that direction. But we have seen other bits and pieces of her personal life, including her sister and niece. Will we see more of her life outside the office this season? Or will the show put the focus squarely on Olivia's work, leaving any social life or potential romance out of it?

Photo courtesy of Fox

Five Questions for Private Practice

BuzzSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:30:36 -0700

It's Summer, and that means it's time for my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for Private Practice, which will launch its third season this Fall.

What's Violet's condition? Despite the dire circumstances in which we last saw Violet, Amy Brenneman was on set when I visited last week, and there are some spoilers at that link about what she may be facing this Fall. Even if Violet does live, how will she live? Will the attack leave her permanently damaged? Will she have flashbacks to that horrifying scene? Speaking of which . . .
Will Private Practice turn into a parade of over-the-top plotlines? Even Brenneman herself said it felt like she was "in a Quentin Tarantino movie - I'm in a whole other universe" during the season finale, and I hope this Violet situation is an anomaly. I like when the doctors interact and fall for each other and work out dilemmas. I like when this show moves me. I do not like it when it suddenly feels like an episode of Law and Order: SVU. The show needs to create buzz and draw in viewers, but there's got to be a better way.

For my next three questions, just read more.

Can Naomi really run a competing practice? Do we want to watch her set up a new business that competes the one all of her friends are running? Naomi's office was conspicuously empty on set. But part of me still thinks she'll be back at Oceanside before long, and I think that might be for the best. I like everyone on the same team.
Who should and should not be romantically involved? Assuming Violet survives, do we like her with Pete? Should this be a long relationship that spans many episodes? I'm not sure I see it lasting forever, but they may already share a child. And what about Naomi and Sam? It seems like they can never quite get over each other, and the friendship thing is officially not working out well at all. Will this next season be all about them moving on or moving back? And will Charlotte and Cooper ever get it together, or will they always be sort of annoyingly mismatched?
Could we have some more humor? At one point last season, I dubbed Private Practice "the show that kills children" because it seems like one kid or another was constantly in peril. True, I like to have my heartstrings tugged, but part of the original appeal of Oceanside was that it would be lighter than Seattle Grace. Sometimes this show does have great comic relief - especially with Cooper - and I really wouldn't mind seeing more of that in season three. These friends have great chemistry together; not everything needs to be so heavy all the time.

Five Questions for 90210

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:24 -0700

It's Summer, and that means it's time for my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for the CW's 90210 remake, which will start its second season in the Fall.

Um, did Annie kill someone? It sure seemed like in the season finale, she hit something while driving drunk through California in the wee hours of the morning. If she did kill someone, there could be major fallout. Like, maybe Annie will have to go to jail for life and be off the show. Gosh, that would be too bad.
Will we get a heartthrob? Ethan was supposed to be the hottie, and that didn't quite work out. Then it was Liam, and - well, more on that below. Now it's Trevor Donovan as "big man on campus"-type Teddy. From your comments on the Teddy casting, it seems like the show still isn't getting it right. Is it really so hard to find attractive, appealing young men these days?

For three more of my biggest questions, read more.

Will the new Melrose Place help or hurt? Tuesday nights on the CW are now remake city, with Melrose Place joining 90210 on the schedule. I already liked the Melrose pilot more than the first episode of 90210, and I'm wondering if the new show will overshadow 90210. Or will 90210 raise its game, too?
Can Naomi stop lusting after borderline-abusive jerks? OK, I'm just talking about one jerk at the moment: Liam. I know some people find him attractive, but I think he's mean, aggressive, and way cocky. Naomi may be wacky, but she's way too sassy and confident to settle for such a creep. Her sister boinked him anyway, so hopefully that'll help this relationship end for good.
Can anyone rescue the wardrobe? I rarely, if ever, complain about a show's fashion sense - but this show needs some help. These kids are supposed to be the coolest, wealthiest teens in America, and they dress like, well, me. Annie and Silver need cooler duds, and Naomi's hair needs to look less dated. Toward the end of the season, things started to improve, but I'm still hoping for a wardrobe overhaul come Fall.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Five Questions For Ugly Betty

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:30:07 -0700

It's Summer, and that means it's time for my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for Ugly Betty, which will start its fourth season in the Fall.

Will the move to Friday night kill this show? Even if you love Betty, will you love it enough to stay in on Friday to tune in? Usually that time slot is a killer, even with DVD recording taken into account. On the other hand, though, expectations are lower for big ratings - and maybe that will give the writers some flexibility to explore smaller storylines and remember what made the show so special in the first place.
Can Daniel recover from Molly's death? Molly turned Daniel from a playboy into a regular Prince Charming, but with her gone, how will Daniel deal? This is the most committed we've ever seen him - Daniel Meade, married! - and I wonder if he'll keep the good-guy attitude or swear off relationships for good. Will we be in for episode upon episode of Daniel moping? Or will he return to his wild ways with a whole bunch of ladies sweeping in and out of his life? And will he ultimately break down and say something to Betty like, "If I don't get close to anyone, I won't have to feel pain again"? (I'd bet good money that line makes it into the season.)

Three more questions coming up, so read more.

Just how evil is Matt going to get? I think we all called this one: Matt was never to be trusted, and he was always kind of a petulant child. But now he's clearly evil, and he's likely to make Betty's life at Mode a living hell just when she's building up some career momentum. How will she break free of his wicked grasp? How long will it take?
Will there be wedding bells for Hilda? He's a little boring, but ~~the karate kid~~ Archie is really good for Hilda. Remember when he totally was understanding about Betty kidnapping a baby? That's the kind of guy you want to hang onto - especially when you have Hilda's crazy family and crummy dating track record. So is it too much to ask for a big Hilda wedding? She deserves some happiness!
Whom did Willi see in the season finale? Was it Connor? And if so, do we really want that guy back? I'm not so sure. I do know that I like evil, ambitious, scheming Willi more than love-lorn, mushy Willi, and I'm hoping whatever mysterious figure she spotted in those closing minutes means there's lots more devilish behavior to come.

Five Questions For Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:30:40 -0700

It's Summer, and that means it's time for my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for Gossip Girl, which will start its third season in the Fall.

How will college change things? Not that we ever really saw these characters in class that often (I suppose you could say Dan had the most teacher interaction - wink, wink). For now, they're kind of spread out (Serena's going to Brown, Blair and Dan are off to NYU, etc.) but I have a feeling the writers will figure out a way to get them all onto one campus again. In the meantime, I can't wait to see Georgina and Blair room together. That ought to be good.
Who's Gossip Girl? We came very close to finding out the identity of Gossip Girl in the season's final episode (if only those Upper East Side teens had read geeksugar's tech tips, we definitely would have known). Do we ever need to find out? Will you be sad if you never do? And how exactly is Gossip Girl going to keep a watch on everyone in all their different colleges?

I've got three more questions if you read more.

What about Little J? With everyone off to college, who will be Jenny's new role model? Will she be the reigning queen bee from here on out? Is there enough time, space, and interest in each episode to follow Jenny through her final years in high school?
Will Blair and Dan get together? OK, but seriously: Are there any pairings left to explore? Practically everyone has hooked up but those two.Well, and Serena and Chuck, but they're sort of related right now and that would be a little icky . . . kind of like that time Dan and Serena were almost step-siblings. Seriously, though, where can the romance go from here?
Will mysterious family members finally make their entrance and destroy lives? Will we meet Serena's elusive father? The introduction of a paternal figure who is supposedly evil has a lot of potential . . . or could be a subplot rushed through in an episode or two and then forgotten (hey, remember Dan and Jenny's mom? She seemed nice). And what about that half-brother of Serena and Dan lurking out there? Will he stop his coffee-shop stalking and make his presence known?

Photo courtesy of The CW

Five Questions For House

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:45:26 -0700

The start of Summer means the return of my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for House, also known as "the world's most popular show."

How long will House stay hospitalized? The end of season five saw House heading off to a mental institution to detox and get some help for his Amber-vision. I initially wondered if the show would just jump forward to once House returned to work, but actors are already being cast to play his fellow patients. That raises several interesting questions, including: What will it be like to see House in the hospital? And how will the team operate with him out of reach?
Will House change? That's one of the questions I ask every season, it seems. The producers have been adamant in the past that House can't fundamentally transform. But he's already changed a little this time, just by admitting he needs help. Will his stint in the hospital make him more open to reaching out, sharing his feelings, and working within normal societal boundaries? Or will he be the same crotchety rebel as always?

Check out my other three questions when you read more.

Fourteen: meant to be? Foreman and Thirteen got loads of screen time in the middle part of the season. Thirteen struggled with her Huntington's diagnosis; Foreman corrupted his clinical trial to try to help her (and inadvertently blinded her in the process); and yet through it all, they managed to stay together. I didn't buy their chemistry at first - maybe it was just too much, too soon - but I've started to accept their relationship. Now, though, will it continue to be a major part of the story, or will it fade into the background like Chase and Cameron's has? Speaking of which . . .
How much will we see Chase and Cameron? This season was better than the one before it at bringing Chase and Cameron back into the mix, especially with their engagement and wedding at the end of the year. But the writers still use them inconsistently inside the everyday medical stories. I'm glad those two characters have flourished in their medical careers separate from House, and seeing them wed was satisfying, but how long can their tangential connections to House's cases keep them relevant?
How long can the House/Cuddy "will they or won't they?" go on? Yes, their hookup toward season's end turned out to be a figment of House's drug-addled imagination, but that doesn't change the fact that the two got closer this season than ever before. And it seems that House - at least some part of him - wants to be the kind of good man who gets clean and ends up with the woman he loves. But could the two of them have a real relationship? Would we want them to? And if not, how long can the show continue to mine their sexual tension?

Photo courtesy of Fox

Five Questions For Grey's Anatomy

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:30:02 -0700

The start of Summer means the return of my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm kicking this year's series off with some questions for Grey's Anatomy.

Who's coming back? That, of course, is the biggie, given that in the season finale, both Izzie and George looked like they might be taking the elevator to the Great Beyond. If the producers actually manage to keep the revelation a secret until the Fall in this age of spoilers - not to mention just everyday casting news - I'll be impressed; my current theory is that Izzie lives and George dies, but that's pure speculation. But they aren't the only two whose fates are up in the air: I'm not sure that Jessica Capshaw (Arizona) or Kevin McKidd (Owen) have contracts yet for next year, and even Chandra Wilson recently said she was still waiting on her own offer to return.
Are Meredith and Derek solid? Sure, they're "married" - if a Post-It counts as marriage, anyway. I was impressed with the way both of them, and especially Meredith, grew up this season; they seemed like real, true adults! It was a pleasant change to see Meredith stop moping and whining and start respecting herself and her relationship, but let's face it: This is Grey's Anatomy, and relationship drama's got to come from somewhere. Will they make it through another year? Or will some new force come along to try and tear them apart?

For my other three big questions, just read more.

Which other relationships will last? Relatively speaking for Grey's, this wasn't a season with a lot of partner-swapping. The drama came mostly from within the relationships - how would Owen's PTSD affect Cristina? Could Lexie and Mark survive their differences in age and experience? Would Callie and Arizona be able to work through their myriad issues? For a show with so much sleeping around, I'm all for seeing some stable relationships - but can all of them be sustained? Or will we need some breakups to keep things fresh?
What will become of Bailey? She's one of my favorite characters (and Chandra Wilson one of my favorite actresses), and yet, I'm not sure the show knows quite what to do with her right now. The story with her pursuing a fellowship in pediatrics, only to end up turning it down because she's leaving her husband, was poignant - but now what? I love Bailey; I don't want to see her turn into a bitter general surgeon who's angry about all the possibilities passing her by.
Can the show hold onto its buzz? After five years, there are signs that Grey's is losing some of its mojo. Since peaking in season three, the show's ratings have dropped steadily every year. (The show's still one of the top-rated series on network TV, though; everything is losing ratings these days.) The unevenness of recent seasons hasn't helped: with lackluster runs of episodes here and there, some viewers have definitely left the show behind. Will Grey's try to boost its appeal with small, character-driven story arcs? Or will it bust out the blockbuster "events" - train crashes, ferry wrecks, main characters dying - to bring new viewers in?

Five Questions for Ugly Betty

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:30:12 -0700

The onset of Summer also means the return of my Five Questions series, in which I take a look back at the most recent seasons of some favorite TV shows and pose some hypothetical questions about their future. Today's questions are for Ugly Betty, which will start its third season in the Fall.

Is it time for a new focus other than Betty's love life? In the season finale, Betty was left choosing between a trip abroad with Gio and a lifetime with Henry in Tucson. I think it's fairly obvious that instead of choosing either guy, she's going to choose herself. But with the recent casting news that Betty might get yet another love interest added to the mix, I'm worried that a love triangle-turned-square will be too much. I'm secretly hoping that Betty just chooses Gio and then we get to move on. Betty's too smart for this constant tug of war between guys. Even more intriguing is the fact that the actor who plays Henry, Christopher Gorham, just signed on to star on a new CBS drama this Fall.
Will shooting in New York City give the show a new look and feel? It's always struck me as funny that Ugly Betty takes place within the high fashion industry in New York when the set design screams L.A. I've never quite gotten a Devil Wears Prada vibe from the show. I'm curious if shooting on the streets of New York will give Betty a new edge that might inject some energy into its third season. Or perhaps we won't even be able to tell, given that the move was primarily intended to save money.

Three more questions, so read more.

Are you prepared for Daniel the dad? We learned at the end of last season that Daniel - shocker! - knocked up some model once upon a time and now he has a kid. He was also completely squeezed out of business at Mode, so presumably the new season will pick up with Daniel devoting himself to being a good father. I think there is room for fun moments as he sorts out raising a kid, but frankly, I enjoy Daniel the player and I wonder if this dad stuff will get old fast.
Is Hilda's man a sleaze or a soul mate? Place your bets now. D'oh! If there is one thing that breaks my heart and makes me yell at my TV, it's Hilda getting jerked around by men! I was sad to find out that her hot coach love interest is married (sort of). We're left wondering if the guy is a total waste of her (and our) time, or if that was just the writers having fun with cliffhangers. I'm not sure how much I like the guy, but I want Hilda to be happy so I hope they do right by her!
Would the show be the same without Alexis? Rumors have swirled that the character of Alexis Meade will begin to get phased out due to Rebecca Romijn's new status as a recurring actor on the show instead of a series regular. I like Alexis as a villain and I like Alexis as part of the Meade clan. Either way, it's great for Daniel to have a sister/brother and if she leaves, I can't help but think there will be a big gaping hole in the show.

Five Questions for Chuck

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:15:27 -0700

The onset of Summer also means the return of my Five Questions series, in which I take a look back at the most recent seasons of some favorite TV shows and pose some hypothetical questions about their future. Today's questions are for Chuck, which will start its second season in the Fall.

Is Chuck a show people will have missed? You know when Chuck was last on TV? January 25. It's been almost six months - eight by the time the new season starts in September - since the last time we hung out with the Buy More crew. Will absence make viewers' hearts grow fonder for Chuck - or will they forget the show even existed?
Is Chuck in any serious peril? At the end of the season's final episode, we were reminded that Chuck can't stay in his secret agent role forever. So, what will become of him? Will Sarah and Casey rally to his defense? Will Chuck make himself indispensable in an effort to stay alive? And what did Zachary Levi mean when he told a reporter that Chuck dies twice?

Three more questions, so read more.

Who is Sarah? We know she's living a cover life, but what more can we learn about her in the second season? News that at least one early episode will find her going to a high school reunion is intriguing. I'm curious to find out how much of her cover story is true - and how what we learn about her will affect how Chuck feels.
Will the stunt casting work? Nicole Richie recently filmed a guest spot on the show, playing an old arch-nemesis of Sarah's in that high school reunion episode. Britney's appearance on How I Met Your Mother did its part to boost that show's ratings in the Spring; can the same be done for Chuck? Personally, I'm more excited to see Tony Hale step into a management spot at the Buy More; it seems like he should fit right in.
How long can the show stay fresh? Like Pushing Daisies -and, in fact, like a lot of shows from last Fall - Chuck has what seems like a limited premise. Eventually, the new government intersect must get back online and knock Chuck out of relevance (if not off the face of the earth entirely). So how long can the show put that off, keeping Chuck on missions even while the CIA and NSA desperately want to put him out of work?

Photo courtesy of NBC

Five Questions for Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:30:42 -0700

The onset of Summer also means the return of my Five Questions series, in which I take a look back at the most recent seasons of some favorite TV shows and pose some hypothetical questions about their future. Today's questions are for Gossip Girl, which will start its second season in the Fall.

Will the viewers ever come? Much has been made about Gossip Girl being a high-buzz, low-ratings series, which gets its stars on magazine covers but can't break 3 million viewers per week. Part of that could be due to the different ways the show's young demographic watches TV - some of which can't be tracked by any existing methods (and which are certainly not counted by advertisers). But part of it could just be that not that many people are watching. I keep thinking the buzz will have to pay off in ratings eventually; will this be the year?
Dan and Serena: Will they? Won't they? Do we care? Dan and Serena's relationship is the centerpiece of all the show's many romantic liaisons, but they've already been brought together and ripped apart so many times that I'm starting to get whiplash. It's turning a little into Derek and Meredith 2.0 - when they're together, they're kind of boring, but when they're apart, it just seems like they're in placeholder relationships that don't mean anything since we know they'll just be back together again anyway.

Three more questions, so read more.

What will become of Georgina? I thought Michelle Trachtenberg gave the show a much-needed evilness infusion as Georgina Sparks, but the resolution to her storyline was one of many things that fell flat in the season finale. Last we saw, she was being shipped off to reform school - but we now know Trachtenberg will be back on the show come Fall. How will little Georgie get herself out of this one?
How much will happen over the Summer? Remember, we're talking about a show that set up a whole set of relationships in the finale, then flipped them on their heads within 10 minutes thanks to a little "one week later" flash-forward. What's going to happen when our Upper East Siders have three whole months of scandal and sun in the Hamptons to fuel them? Will we recognize a single scenario when the show picks up in the Fall?
Will there really be a spinoff? While those first rumors of a spinoff seem a little shady now, it doesn't seem out of the question that GG would use this season to prime one (or more) characters for a second show. After all, it happened in the books. Will certain characters get more time in the spotlight next year to see how they'd do as the focus of a separate series?

Photo courtesy of The CW