TV Write Now » Television http://tvwritenow.com Beyond the Page & Behind the Screen with Today's Top TV Writers Thu, 19 Jun 2014 23:05:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Must-See: The Big C (Series Debut Monday, 8/16) http://tvwritenow.com/?p=385 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=385#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:22:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://bafec9d5-a005-4fb8-8eda-b19bc6efbe62


Expect The Unexpected

The very first thing you need to know about The Big C is that it is not a television series about cancer. Yes, The Big C refers to cancer, but the focus of the show is far more about how one woman reacts to her diagnosis than it is about the illness itself. The Big C is a dark comedy that will take you to surprising places with equal humor and poignancy. 


In Which My Praise For Laura Linney Knows No End

Laura Linney is perfectly cast as Cathy Jamison, a suburban school teacher who discovers that she has cancer. I have admired her work over the years, particularly in Tales of the City (1993), Primal Fear (1996), Absolute Power (1997), The Truman Show (1998), The House of Mirth (2000), You Can Count on Me (2000), The Life of David Gale (2003), Mystic River (2003), Love Actually (2003), Kinsey (2004) and Breach (2007). Although Linney received an Academy Award nomination for The Savages, I still feel as though she deserved an Oscar for You Can Count on Me. And if you did not see the HBO miniseries John Adams, add it to your queue immediately; Linney won an Emmy for her role as Abigail Adams and it was one of her finest performances to date. 

By the way, I highly recommend this this recent New York Times profile of and interview with Linney. 

Why The Big C Deserves a Season Pass

Because you will find some of Cathy Jamison’s reactions to be quite reasonable, and others to be rather shocking. Because the supporting cast is quirky without being stereotypical or grating. Because you will find yourself wondering what changes you would make in your life under the same circumstances. Because Laura Linney is a familiar, comforting face that will accompany you into potentially unfamiliar territory; a phenomenal actress who radiates warmth and strength on screen. Because we now have the opportunity to spend a half hour a week with Linney and her unparalleled dimples. And because short house robes are bound to make Entertainment Weekly’s sidebar column The Shaw Report as an “in” trend after an episode or two.  

Roll Credits

The Big C also stars Oliver Platt (Huff) as Jamison’s husband, Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) as one of her students, John Benjamin Hickey (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) as her brother, Reid Scott (My Boys) as her doctor, Phyllis Somerville (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as her neighbor and newcomer Gabriel Basso as her son. Idris Elba (The Wire) also makes a guest appearance, and former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon joins the cast later on in the first season. 

Series creator/writer Darlene Hunt is also an actress and playwright; she recently appeared on Hung and Parks and Recreation. Executive producer/writer/showrunner Jenny Bicks previously wrote and produced Sex and the City and Men in Trees. Executive producer Neal H. Moritz is primarily known for film but he also produced Tru Calling and Prison Break. 

The pilot episode of The Big C was directed by Academy Award winning screenwriter Bill Condon (Gods & Monsters), and future episodes are lensed by a few of my favorite cable television directors, Craig Zisk (United States of Tara, Nip/Tuck, Nurse Jackie, Weeds) and Alan Poul (Six Feet Under). 

DVR Details

Linney’s talent, the stellar cast and the subject matter, combined with the creative experience above, is exactly why you should tune in when The Big C debuts on Showtime next week (Monday, August 15 at 10:30pm ET) immediately following the season 6 debut of Weeds at 10pm ET.  You can also become a fan of the show on Facebook and follow series updates on Twitter. 
 
Of course if you don’t want to wait until Monday, you can watch the entire first episode right now on Showtime!

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=385 0 Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going & What I’m Watching: The Future of This Site http://tvwritenow.com/?p=386 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=386#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 23:46:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://7681f818-4582-4921-8870-9e96e9c76aad


As many of you have noticed, I have not posted on this site in two months. Because I am a freelance entertainment writer, my work has been appearing elsewhere – primarily TVovermind and AOLtv. Moving forward, I will still be posting here, especially when analyzing a film or a television series that I am not also covering on another site. And of course my archived articles will remain available here, including my very first batch of Lost posts from several years ago. 



Now that Lost has ended its six season run, I have no plans to start another site or focus that much time on one particular series. Although I will be starting Battlestar Galactica from the beginning later this week, I will not be writing about it other than reactionary tweets.

The new slate of Fall 2010 shows looks promising, and I will be posting a list of recommendations and trailers soon. In the meantime, please let me know which current or new shows you’d like me to cover! 

Here is an updated list of shows that I already watch, although I admit to being a season behind on a few:
  1. 30 Rock
  2. Bones
  3. Breaking Bad
  4. Brothers & Sisters
  5. Burn Notice
  6. Chuck
  7. Community
  8. Cougar Town
  9. Desperate Housewives
  10. Dexter
  11. Entourage
  12. Friday Night Lights
  13. Fringe
  14. Glee
  15. The Good Wife
  16. Grey’s Anatomy
  17. House
  18. Hung
  19. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  20. Justified
  21. Mad Men
  22. Medium
  23. Modern Family
  24. Nurse Jackie
  25. The Office
  26. Parenthood
  27. Parks & Recreation
  28. Private Practice
  29. Rescue Me
  30. Survivor
  31. Top Chef
  32. Treme
  33. True Blood
  34. United States of Tara
  35. V
  36. Weeds
I appreciate your patience and promise to keep you posted about where to find me and my perspective about the television landscape. If you’re not doing so already, I would love for you to follow me on Twitter and friend me on Facebook.

- Jo
]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=386 0 Nurse Jackie & United States of Tara: Spoiler-Free Second Season Previews http://tvwritenow.com/?p=387 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=387#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:09:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://826f8835-8e88-441c-8aea-ca2ede335ae5
                                            

Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara return for their sophomore seasons on Monday night, March 22. While I did not find that either show needed to improve upon their very impressive debut seasons, I am pleasantly surprised by the slight changes and shifts that both series’ have implemented. 

NURSE JACKIE

In the first few episodes of Season 2, there are a few revelations on Nurse Jackie involving Jackie’s relationships with both her pharmacist boy toy Eddie (Paul Schulze) and her BFF, Dr. O’Hara (delicious & devilish scene-stealer Eve Best). 

                                            

Edie Falco is delivering an Emmy-worthy performance; her ability to transform and transition Jackie from infuriatingly immoral in one scene to commendably compassionate in the next is unparalleled. I enjoy her scenes with Akalitus (the great Anna Deavere Smith) more than any other character, especially in Season 2 thus far.

I have also grown rather fond of the fabulous Merritt Wever as Jackie’s fumbling, earnest sidekick Zoey, who amuses me to no end with her facial expressions and body language. Wever has a talent for subtle physical comedy, and this role appears to have been tailor-made for her.

Twilight fans simply seeking a weekly Cullen fix will be pleased to discover an entirely different side of Peter Facinelli. Unlike the strong women who surround and overwhelm him at the hospital, Dr. Cooper is a vulnerable and sensitive soul who cares what people think about him. His ideals will be tested early on in Season 2, and his inappropriate quirks come into play during a fantastic guest appearance by Barbara Barrie. 

UNITED STATES OF TARA

On more than a few occasions just a few episodes into Season 2 of United States of Tara, my eyebrows were raised and my jaw was ajar. Toni Collette, who won the Emmy last year for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, remains on par with Edie Falco in that category. Her range is extraordinary, and that has never been more clear than right now; Tara delves deep into less familiar and uncomfortable territory this season, and Collette handles it beautifully and with ease.

                                            

The dynamic and dysfunction of the Gregson family is equally compelling and entertaining, and their interaction is one of my favorite aspects of the show. Disconcerting changes are in store for Tara, which obviously affects everyone in her life. I, for one, am looking forward to just how far her husband Max (John Corbett) will be pushed to and perhaps over the edge this season by her actions and personalities.

United States of Tara features a particularly strong supporting cast, including two of the most well-written teenagers on television. Siblings Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) and Kate (Brie Larson) face their own set of realistic challenges in Season 2, as does Tara’s self-centered sister Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt). 

Even if you have not watched the first seasons of either show, I highly recommend that you tune in tomorrow night and set your DVRs with season passes for both Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara. These are two examples of original programming at their best, with stellar scripts, casts and surprises that will keep you laughing and intrigued from week to week.
]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=387 0 Fringe & V Set Visits: Questions for the Casts? http://tvwritenow.com/?p=388 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=388#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:44:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://978091b8-c6fc-4847-8ea3-8457402421c8
                                                      
I am heading to Vancouver to visit the set of V on Monday and Fringe on Wednesday, and will have the opportunity to interview members of each cast. 

If you’d like to follow along, all of my spoiler-free coverage will be on TVovermind (and of course I will be tweeting frequently). Please feel free to leave any questions you might have for specific characters in the Comments below!
]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=388 0 Hi Again: A Very Random Pop Culture Update http://tvwritenow.com/?p=392 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=392#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:17:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://fc93a0c4-8214-4e81-b0d6-fbba42f887ed
I owe you an apology, again. Every intention of updating this site on a much more frequent basis has fallen victim to time, travel and Lost over the last several weeks. But this site is my real baby; my original blog of almost 5 years, and what will continue to be home base once Lost ends forever in May. 

Because I have been negligent for far too long, I thought I would briefly address what has been going on in my pop culture world and provide appropriate links if you’re interested in additional details. 
  • I just returned from a weekend in Buenos Aires and week in Santiago, Chile (visiting family; see video at bottom of post). To escape thunderstorms one afternoon, we went to see An Education. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, particularly the performance of Carey Mulligan. While I believe that she completely deserves her Best Actress nod, I don’t think that she stands a chance against Meryl and Sandra this year. And to be honest, I do not agree with the film’s inclusion as a Best Picture nominee. But don’t get me started about the fact there are now 10 in that category…


  • While on the red carpet, I had the opportunity to interview Michael Emerson’s wife, actress Carrie Preston. Stay tuned for audio from that conversation, as we discuss her role as Arlene in the third season of True Blood!
  • I am currently hosting a Haiti relief fundraiser on my Lost site, giving away memorabilia to those who donate $10 or more to Partners in Health (in conjunction with Mo Ryan from the Chicago Tribune, who is also auctioning off various TV items for the cause via eBay). 
  • In anticipation of new episodes of the stellar series Southland (beginning March 2 on its new network: TNT), here is a look behind the scenes of the show. I will be receiving a screener shortly and plan to preview it here for you before it airs. 

  • To celebrate the new movie The Crazies, a reinvention of the George Romero horror classic starring Timothy Olyphant (opening on February 26 in theaters), I will be giving away a set of limited-edition The Crazies comic books very soon!
  • One of my favorite new shows of the last several years, Nurse Jackie, returns for a second season on March 22. Here is the trailer. Jump on board; I guarantee you won’t regret it. Twilight fans, you will love Peter Facinelli in this series – check out Dr. Coop’s Video Diary.


  • And here is your first look at the sophomore season of my other favorite new show in recent memory, United States of Tara. Joey Lauren Adams joins the cast, and the series also returns on March 22.
Thank you for your patience, whether you are fairly new to this site or have been visiting for several years. I look forward to hearing from YOU; feel free to leave comments and/or feedback below!

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=392 0 Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Season 3: Preview & DVD Giveaway! http://tvwritenow.com/?p=394 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=394#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:34:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://31eabe9e-b28c-4b73-9e5c-417f3e44d180
Fans and new viewers alike, set your DVRs – the Showtime series Secret Diary of a Call Girl returns in just a few short weeks; Season 3 debuts on February 1 at 10pm ET/PT. 

I recommend that you also tune in on Monday, January 25 at 10pm ET/PT because Showtime will be airing an exclusive interview with actress Billie Piper and the recently revealed real Belle du Jour (Dr. Brooke Magnanti)!

Click here to take a look behind the scenes of the new season.



To celebrate the return of this entertaining and provocative show, I am giving away the following:
  • Season 1 DVD
  • Season 2 DVD 
  • Official Secret Diary of a Call Girl book (written by the real Belle du Jour)
  • A “Secret Diary” diary
To enter for a chance to win one of the items above, simply leave a comment with your name and email address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only, and will run until Tuesday, February 2. Good luck, and thank you in advance for entering!

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=394 0 Winter 2010 TV Schedule: Mine & Yours http://tvwritenow.com/?p=395 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=395#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:51:02 +0000 JOpinionated http://c97a4a11-f33f-4d96-8433-34ae62bb35d7

I will be the first to admit that I dropped the ball and failed to produce an updated spreadsheet of television shows, as I did in the Fall. Apologies.

As an alternative, I highly recommend this extensive Winter2010 Grid from a fantastic TV source, TheFutonCritic.com. 

In case you’re interested, here is my rather ridiculous schedule through May (viewing split between TiVO and online):

SUNDAY
Human Target (FOX, 8pm) new series, debuts 1/17
Brothers & Sisters (ABC, 10pm)

MONDAY
House (FOX, 8pm)
Parenthood (NBC, 8pm) new series, debuts 3/1
Chuck (NBC, 9pm) 
Life Unexpected (CW, 9pm) new series, debuts 1/18
Damages (FX, 10pm) returns 1/25

TUESDAY
The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm)
LOST (ABC, 9pm) returns 2/2
Southland (TNT, 10pm) new network, returns 1/12 [tomorrow!]
Nurse Jackie (SHO, 10pm) returns 3/22
United States of Tara (SHO, 10:30pm) returns 3/22

WEDNESDAY
Modern Family (ABC, 9pm)
Cougar Town (ABC, 9:30pm)
Nip/Tuck (FX, 10pm)
V (ABC, 10pm) returns 3/30

THURSDAY
Bones (FOX, 8pm) returns 1/14
Community (NBC, 8pm) returns 1/14
FlashForward (ABC, 8pm) returns 3/4
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS, 8pm) returns 2/11
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 8:30pm) returns 1/14
30 Rock (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/14
The Office (NBC, 9pm) returns 1/20
Fringe (FOX, 9pm) returns 1/14
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Private Practice (ABC, 10pm) returns 1/14
Project Runway (Lifetime, 10pm) returns 1/14
Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) returns 1/14

FRIDAY
Dollhouse (FOX, 9pm)
Medium (CBS, 9pm) 

I am also looking forward to the return of Friday Night Lights and the new series Justified on FX, but premiere dates for both have not been announced (I do not have DirecTV, so I have yet to see this season of FNL).

Yes, this is overly ambitious, especially given that I will be writing extensively about the final season of Lost from now through the end of May. I usually manage to find the time to catch up with the rest of my favorite shows, but I have a feeling that my TiVO will be full for summer viewing this year.

As you can see, Thursday night is very, very crowded. Note to the networks: some of us crave quality programming on other nights of the week as well. Special memo to NBC: now that you’re canning Leno at 10pm every night, my hope is that you offer unique shows like Kings or Life again…only this time, don’t move them around the schedule and please have more patience as buzz builds. 
 
Happy viewing!

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=395 0 TV 2009: Top 20 Shows & Network Analysis http://tvwritenow.com/?p=396 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=396#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:37:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://a4f6ab07-817d-48d1-b828-0bcfa4de1d16

As promised, yet another list!

At some point I will take a look back at the best television programs from the last ten years, but right now I am focusing on my favorite series’ of 2009. Similar to the caveat that I placed on my list of Favorite Films of the 2000′s, please note that these are not necessarily the most critically acclaimed or award-winning shows; the scripts, casts and production of these programs speak to me, week after week.

  1. Community (NBC)
  2. Damages (FX)
  3. Dexter (SHO)
  4. Dollhouse (FOX)
  5. FlashForward (ABC)
  6. Fringe (FOX)
  7. Glee (FOX)
  8. The Good Wife (CBS)
  9. House (FOX)
  10. Lost (ABC)
  11. Mad Men (AMC)
  12. Medium (CBS)
  13. Modern Family (ABC)
  14. Nurse Jackie (SHO)
  15. Parks and Recreation (NBC)
  16. Rescue Me (FX)
  17. Top Chef (BRAVO)
  18. True Blood (HBO)
  19. United States of Tara (SHO)
  20. V (ABC)

I am very encouraged on many levels. First of all, I am unable to recall a more successful year in recent television history for new series debuts; 9 out of the 20 are new shows! I also love that 8 out of the 20 shows above are on cable (basic or pay). Let’s face it, they have more freedom to take risks. With the exception of Lost, I found that most of the original, riveting and thought-provoking content this year to be on Showtime, FX and AMC.  


Oh, and the joy of laughter is back. Thanks to shows like Community, Glee, Parks and Recreation and Modern Family, cackling, chuckling and cracking up have returned to our living room (and hopefully yours)…at least on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  

CBS

This is the very first time that a CBS series has ever made my annual list of favorites. To me, Medium has improved since CBS made the excellent decision to pick up the show after NBC dropped it from their primetime lineup. And if you’re not already watching The Good Wife, I highly recommend it. Crime/law procedurals are not traditionally my cup of tea, but Julianna Margulies has finally landed the perfect fit, in a role that is Emmy-worthy.

FOX

I applaud both FOX and ABC for embracing and having faith in the sci-fi/supernatural genre. Of course FOX does not have the best reputation when it comes to this type of program; it is very disappointing that Dollhouse has been canceled, and I am hoping that more will jump on the Fringe bandwagon because it has improved tremendously in the second season. I long for the good old days when a series like The X-Files survived and endured, despite being moved around in the schedule and landing on Friday nights (which is no longer necessarily a dead zone).

ABC

One of the more obvious winners in my book is ABC. Although they are not quite on par with the quality and consistency of Lost, ABC took a leap of faith by offering up both FlashForward and V in the same year. In addition, they gifted us Modern Family - the most refreshing and brilliantly funny series since Arrested Development.

SHOWTIME

Showtime is THE network to beat, in my opinion. Not since the days of Deadwood, Sex & the City, Six Feet Under and The Sopranos has a cable network dominated with such unique, high quality programming. I am still waiting for HBO to offer up a slate of daring, stellar and provocative shows again. In the meantime, only True Blood has earned a season pass on our TiVO. Dexter speaks for itself – disturbing and phenomenal every single season. But Toni Collette in The United States of Tara and Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie are simply extraordinary. Clearly two of the finest actresses on television today, they anchor their shows with a vulnerable confidence rivaled only by Glenn Close on Damages.

As icing on an already amazing cake, Showtime has landed Laura Linney (one of my favorite actresses of all time) for a new series in 2010 called The C-Word. The show, a dark comedy about cancer, co-stars Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Oliver Platt. Linney reunites with Kinsey director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Gods and Monsters), who is behind the lens for the pilot.

NBC

To be very frank, if it were not for 30 Rock, the resurgence of Parks and Recreation and the debut of Community, I would probably boycott and/or avoid NBC entirely. I will never understand their egregious, premature decision to cancel Kings, Life and Southland (not to mention my guilty pleasure show Lipstick Jungle), especially when the network chose to fill those prime 10pm slots every night with Jay Leno. I am thrilled that TNT rescued Southland from NBC’s discard pile – I will be tuning in every week when it returns on January 12.

REALITY TV

In general, I do not love the reality television genre. As someone who is far more interested in the creative team of a particular show than the pretty faces in front of the camera, I prefer to support a smart series with an actual writer’s room. That being said, I do enjoy competition-based shows like The Amazing Race, The Biggest Loser, Project Runway and Survivor. This is the first year that a reality show made my list, and that is because the last season of Top Chef featured some of the most talented contestants on any reality series that I’ve ever seen. 

They’re Every Woman

Defense Attorney Patty Hewes. Detective Debra Morgan. Coach Sue Sylvester. Special Agent Olivia Dunham. Copywriter Peggy Olson. Nurse Jackie Peyton. Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Leslie Knope. FBI Counter Terrorism Agent Erica Evans. And an undercover kick-ass specialist named Echo. These women are all forces to be reckoned with, equally flawed and fabulous. If 2009 was any indication, it seems as if the 2000-teens (what the hell else are we going to call the next decade?) may feature more shows highlighting powerful, compelling women. I applaud and approve.

It is safe to say that I have great enthusiasm for what the next ten years of television has to offer. My hope is that the major networks exercise more patience, listen to and trust fan feedback (to a point), take risks with genre and continue to present unconventional programming. 


As always, I would love your feedback. Which shows topped your list this year and why?

Happy New Year!

-Jo

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=396 0 The Blu-ray Way http://tvwritenow.com/?p=400 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=400#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:20:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://14bddd17-79cb-43c9-b742-ba5e584ea2aa


I am sitting on the precipice of an exciting upgrade. In a few short weeks, we will be abandoning our standard DVD player for Blu-ray. Although we own several hundred DVDs, I look forward to adding newer releases to my collection in Blu-ray!  I was a bit concerned but inquired on Twitter, and apparently when you play standard DVDs on a Blu-ray player, they “upconvert” and play at a higher resolution. 

I am encouraged by programs like DVD 2 BLU, which Warner Brothers just unveiled. They are offering consumers the opportunity to upgrade Warner Brothers films on DVD to Blu-ray for a very reasonable fee. This is merely a glimpse of the future of home entertainment, and as a pop culture sponge, it is about time that I hopped on the bandwagon. 



To me, the only real downfall at this point is that I am unable to play a Blu-ray disc on my Mac. I re-watch a great deal of TV on DVD on my laptop, but will not be able to do so with Season 5 of Lost (which I pre-ordered on Blu-ray; it will be released on 12/8/09).  Of course I am hoping that by the time a 6-season Lost box set comes out in the next year or two…Apple will have joined the Blu-ray party.

I have no plans to replace every single DVD on my shelf, but the following films on Blu-ray certainly top my holiday wish list:

  • The Dark Knight
  • Gattaca
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • The Lord of the Rings trilogy
  • The Matrix trilogy
  • Star Trek (2009)
  • V for Vendetta

Which movies do you highly recommend on Blu-ray? 


]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=400 0 FlashingForward: My New Site http://tvwritenow.com/?p=403 http://tvwritenow.com/?p=403#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:59:00 +0000 JOpinionated http://cd4f6f56-6364-48cd-9442-8c1eaf698b51
I never officially announced it here, but it was brought to my attention that I’ve failed to even provide a link in the sidebar. Doh! 



In addition to my Lost site, I recently created one called FlashingForward; it is a spoiler-free, theory-specific site dedicated to the new ABC series FlashForward.

You may have noticed that I have been posting less frequently here. In addition to a very time-consuming Lost Rewatch project and the new FlashForward site, I spend most of my spare time catching up on the many shows I watch per week. I have no intention of abandoning  you or this site, and hope to include more film and DVD reviews soon, as well as analysis of our favorite new series’.

See you soon!

-Jo

]]> http://tvwritenow.com/?feed=rss2&p=403 0