Spotlight on Elizabeth Mitchell

First gracing the television screen in 1993 on the television series Dangerous Curves, Elizabeth Mitchell quickly began an ascent that has taken her to starring in two of the most buzzed about series currently on television: V and Lost.

While few watched her debut into the television arena, she has proven over the years to be an actress who naturally stands-out and makes her presence felt. Not content with a mere wallflower role, she began getting noticed for her steely resistance and stunning good looks. Then, in 1998, she was cast in a ground-breaking role as the lover of Angelina Jolie in  Gia. That was quickly followed by a role in the short-lived TV series Significant Others, in which she co-starred with Jennifer Garner (Alias) and Michael Weatherly (NCIS).

Fortunately, her next project was a feature film Frequency, a sci-fi film starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Alas, being cast as Dennis Quaid’s wife was not enough to keep her on the big screen and Elizabeth was soon back on television appearing in another short-lived series Time of Your Life, which coincidentally co-starred Jennifer Garner, Pauley Perrette (NCIS), and Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer).

Still not finding a secure niche, Elizabeth tackled the role of Dr. Kim Legaspi, the lover of Dr. Kerry Weaver in the hit drama ER. It was during this time period that she fine-tuned her comedic skills by co-starring in the films The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3 with comedian Tim Allen. She also balanced her comedic forays by working in the short-lived legal drama The Lyon’s Den which starred Rob Lowe. Bouncing between serious, comedic and earnest 20-something roles, Elizabeth built a fine resume of solid work experience showing off not only her versatility, but her strong work ethic and willingness to step-outside the box to portray strong yet vulnerable women.

It was that more than anything that perhaps brought her to the attention of Lost, where she scored the role of a lifetime, playing the ambiguous, resilient and astoundingly lethal Juliet Burke – and, for the first time, stole the limelight from a popular co-star and claimed the heart of the bad-boy with a heart of gold, James “Sawyer” Ford. Over the course of four seasons, Elizabeth not only stole scenes and attention, she carved out a fanatic fan-base and managed to become the heart and hero of the show. So much so that in May 2009, she literally ended the season with a bang and created one of the biggest cliff-hangers of the series.

Simultaneously, not being one to sit still, Elizabeth managed to sneak off and score one of the most coveted roles of sci-fi television, the part of Erica Evans, the FBI agent in the new hit sci-fi series V. Unlike the morally ambiguous Juliet she plays on Lost, on V Elizabeth is clearly the moral center and is fighting to save the human race. This is ironic, given that she did virtually the same thing on Lost – she may have saved the world by setting off a nuclear bomb and resetting the fractured timeline.

So with the final season of Lost looming on the horizon and a bright and shiny future beckoning with the series V, Elizabeth seems destined for greatness. With her luminous, poignant and steely portrayals, she has embraced difficult roles and made them her own and won the admiration of the television audience forever.

Elizabeth Mitchell stars in V which airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. However, V will be on hiatus until March 2010 due the holidays and the winter Olympics. Be sure to tune back in March! Lost returns February 2 at 9/8c on ABC; when V returns in March it will be the lead-in for Lost.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/11/24/spotlight-on-elizabeth-mitchell/

Review of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ – The Turning Point

What’s more exciting than vampires? A rogue vampire and a rogue vampire hunter!

Living up to the episode’s name “The Turning Point,” this was the kitchen-sink episode. It had a little bit of everything for everyone. We had a person returning from the dead and dying all over again, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) actually getting along and working together (gasp!), a star-crossed love affair, mesmerism, a rogue demon hunter and a surprise accident. It was an adrenaline rush from one scene to the next.

This was indeed the turning point for everyone. It was no longer a show about the discovery of vampires. This is now a story about how virtually everyone knows there are vampires and how they interact with them. For clearly, Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Bonnie (Katrina Graham) both now know. The council, which includes the Sheriff and the Mayor and a host of others know about the vampires. And Alaric Salzman (Matthew Davis) knows a lot more about vampires than he has let on. While Jenna (Sara Canning), Caroline (Candice Accola), Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), Matt (Zach Roerig) and Tyler (Michael Trevino) are perhaps the few that do not consciously know, they certainly have had their fair share of vampire encounters and some of them have taken turns at being victims of vampire mesmerism (Caroline, Tyler and Jeremy). Additionally, Jenna and Matt are closely associated to vampires through their connections to Logan (Chris J. Johnson) and Vicki (Kayla Ewell).

Jenna also nearly became dinner for the newly-turned Logan, but was wise enough to not invite him into the house. Unfortunately, this did not bode so well for the woman jogging down the road. Logan was the loose-cannon throughout the episode. While not as emotionally unstable and erratic as Vicki was – especially since Logan had the sense to acquire a gun and filled it with wooden bullets to take down Damon when he came calling — Logan was stupid enough to leave the body of the jogger behind out in the open. It was pure stupidity that he left it behind thinking that he was just too tired to drag the body of the jogger back to his lair to hide it along with the others he had been accumulating. It was exactly that kind of sloppiness that put him on everyone’s radar: Damon and Stefan who wanted to keep their presence invisible to the local vampire-posse; the town’s founding father’s group who were on the look-out for vampires, and a newly arrived
self-appointed vampire hunter. With so many enemies out to stop him, Logan never had a chance.

So, just as Stefan and Damon were debating where they should go after leaving Mystic Falls, the Sheriff (Marguerite MacIntyre) stopped by bearing bad news that there had been another attack. Damon then stated the obvious, “There’s another vampire in town.” To which Stefan quickly replied, “That’s impossible” knowing Damon had staked the only other vampire who had been in town – Lexie. But Damon simply retorted, “Obviously not.” Despite their plans to the contrary, it was clear that they were not going anywhere with a rogue vampire on the loose.

Pulling from his bag of tricks, Damon “recruited” Caroline to aid in using the pocket watch to locate the new vampire – especially since if he tried to use it, it wouldn’t work as his presence interfered with the signal. What was not so clever was rushing head-long into the warehouse just to be shot by Logan, with wooden bullets no less. Ingenious, though it seems a bit crazy for a vampire to feel the need to protect himself from other vampires.

Despite Damon’s protests, “I killed you. I didn’t turn you,” Logan was not too sure and was furious to have been turned, abandoned and left to fend for himself. With a stash of dead bodies piling up, he just could not get a handle on this vampire-thing. And the one thing he really needed to know was why he couldn’t walk in the sun like Stefan and Damon. If he was going to be stuck being a vampire for eternity, that was the one skill he really wanted.

But after being shot with nearly a dozen wooden bullets, Damon was not feeling so helpful. Instead, he was incredibly pissed off and feeling a bit vengeful – particularly after Logan kidnapped Damon’s tasty-treat, Caroline. So once Damon and Stefan had Logan corned, Damon evilly grinned and said, “Payback is a bitch, isn’t it?” after shooting Logan. But just as Damon was about to deliver the death blow, Logan quickly said, “You think you’re the only one who wants to get into that tomb under that old church?” It was this little crumb that enticed Damon into granting Logan a temporary reprieve. However, Alaric Salzman, rogue vampire hunter, had another plan in mind and promptly staked Logan the first chance he got.

So with a whopping cliff-hanger in the balance, namely Elena pinned under her car after fleeing from Stefan after discovering a photo of Katherine and a shadowy figure approaching ominously, we also were left with the image of the Sheriff believing that Damon was the hero of the day (again) when she told him, “This town owes you so much. So do I.” Watch out Damon, hero-worship can be a dangerous thing.

What Worked

Following up on the quasi-romantic interlude between Matt and Caroline, there were quite a few funny moments as everyone began to notice their new-found close friendship. In particular, it was hilarious when Tyler accused Matt of becoming a “we”-team. But the real cheer-worthy moment came when Matt stood up to Tyler declaring, “Look, I like Caroline. She’s got this thing. This way about her and I like her. I’m not going to defend or apologize about it.” Matt is turning out to be quite the romantic and his willingness to declare his feelings for Caroline was heroic in another way.

What Didn’t Work

After Caroline inadvertently overhears Matt tell Elena, “We’re friends. It’s no big deal,” Caroline had further insult to injury when her own mother decided to squash her dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist by saying, “You don’t even read paper.” With both her boyfriend and mother crushing her tender young heart, Caroline was easy prey for Logan. This episode was all about the emotional pain. It was just awful that Caroline is the emotional punching bag for everyone. Why should she have to bear the brunt of her mother’s misguided disappointment and Matt’s insensitivity? It’s bad enough that Elena and Bonnie do not consider her intelligent enough to rank at their level and have hid the fact that there are vampires in Mystic Falls. Of all of them, Caroline is the one who needs to know the most. She’s already been the human-of-choice for Damon’s feeding habits and inadvertent ally in his activities. She should have at least been warned so that she would not have so willingly gotten in the car with Logan. Forewarned is forearmed. It’s about time that Caroline got a bit more prepared to live in a world with vampires lurking in the darkness.

And where was Bonnie in the midst of all this?!

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘The Turning Point’ teleplay by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, story by Barbie Kligman, and directed by J. Miller Tobin. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ stars Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Steven R. McQueen, Candice Accola, Katerina Graham, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Sara Canning, Matthew Davis, Chris J. Johnson and Marguerite MacIntyre. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

“Chuck” – A Safe Word for Chuck This Season?

When asked about whether his character Casey would be programming Chuck with a safe word so that Chuck could be turned off if he poses a threat to others with his newly-programmed abilities, actor Adam Baldwin exclaimed, ““Now that’s a great idea!  Where’s a producer so I can have them write that in?!”

As producers Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak emphasized, Chuck will not only be a potential danger to his handlers, Sarah and Casey, he could be a threat to the entire world.  Josh Schwartz stated that, “it has always been Sarah’s mission to protect Chuck from the world, now she will have to protect the world from Chuck.”  Especially as Chuck now has access to these amazing abilities, but does not know how to use or control them, Schwartz exclaimed, “he could potentially blow up the world!”

The new skills that Chuck has been programmed with are not without glitches and side-effects — particularly as the physical combat skills were designed for an agent more like Chuck’s frenemy Bryce Larkin, than for the average guy like Chuck.  Thus, Chuck could experience computer-glitches from the new and improved version of the Intersect that he downloaded into his brain last season.  For as Schwartz explained, “Chuck’s physical powers don’t necessarily last. The new Intersect was designed for Bryce Larkin, super spy. Unfortunately they got into Chuck Bartowski, an emotional guy with a lot of issues.”  There also could be a cost or a side-effect, such as unexpected drowsiness, which as Zachary Levi noted, Chuck “can’t know Chuck-Fu all the time. It would make Chuck’s handlers obsolete and we can’t have that. So our very talented and wise creators have structured it so that the Chuck-Fu and any of the other physical powers that I may have, have a window – a shelf life.” Fedak further explained that Sarah and Casey were not going anywhere as they “will be serving as [Chuck’s] Senseis.”

Another wrinkle that will manifest early in the season is changes in the characters’ relationships.  For Chuck and Sarah, there will be an unresolved expectation that will not be met that will drive a wedge between them.  As Schwartz put it, “Something very emotional and traumatic is going to happen between Chuck and Sarah” and before the fans could react in outrage, he hastened to add, “but it’s going to be really good!”

Additionally, now that Ellie and Devon are married, they have moved out of the apartment and into their own place.  Schwartz also revealed that “now that Devon [aka: Captain Awesome] knows Chuck’s secret, you will start to see him submerge into the spy world.”  To which McPartlin gleefully added, “Much to Josh Gomez’s chagrin! I’m really excited to be in the spy world, I can’t wait!”

The other major change is that Chuck and Morgan are now roommates, which is certain to ensure that the bromance high-jinks will continue.  As for what is going to be happening at the Buy More, all Schwartz and Fedak would confirm was that the Buy More would continue to be featured in each episode.  As Fedak succinctly put it, “it’s our most expensive set; we’re definitely going to use it.”  Fedak also assured the fans that the Buy More will still be apart of the show. “No matter how much action we put on, the show is never going to lose its sense of humor.”

Which was clearly demonstrated last summer at Comic-Con, when they nearly brought-down-the-house with a live performance by Jeffster, featuring vocals by Vik Sahay and Scott Krinsky, to the tune of Queen’s “Flat Bottomed Girls.”  (Per Schwartz, look for more of the musical talents of Jeffster to be featured on the “Chuck Me Out” website.)

“Chuck” will return on Sunday, January 10, 2010 for a 2 hour special at 8 p.m. on NBC.  Then returns to its regular time slot starting Monday, January 11, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. on NBC.

You Had Me at Halo: “Defying Gravity”

The good, the bad and the ugly on how a sci-fi show was launched and killed in eight episodes

I may be the sole voice wailing in the darkness.  But news of cancellation of the television series “Defying Gravity” struck me with a blow.  It was ominous enough when the show was unceremoniously yanked off the broadcast schedule in September to make room for the return of “Brothers & Sisters.”  However, from the beginning, “Defying Gravity” was never intended to be a full season show.  It was a venture between the BBC, Fox, Omni Film, CTV, SPACE and ProSiebien for international broadcast.  Yet, after some soul-searching and head-scratching, ABC thought maybe it should pluck it from obscurity, re-branded it as “Grey’s Anatomy in space” and then selected August 2nd as its premiere date, with little to no promotional campaign.  (Hey, I was at Comic-Con and there was absolutely NO mention of it at all – over 100,000 sci-fi buffs and geeks attending the largest sci-fi convention of the year just days before the premier and no one
thought to promote it there?!)

It also had no branding behind it. I mean ask anyone if they have seen “Defying Gravity” and you’ll get a host of mixed reactions, mostly confusion.  “Defying Gravity” is a phrase better associated with the hit song from the play “Wicked” and which was recently featured on the Fox show “Glee.”  Additionally, many people think it is the same show as Fox’s “Virtuality,” which actually never made it to series, but they opted to broadcast the pilot anyway, after some heavy mass-marketing and promotion.  It was unreal to see such a push for name recognition and viewers for a show that was ultimately passed on!  But that is another story.  So you may have heard of “Virtuality.”

But prior to August 1st, 2009, had you ever heard of “Defying Gravity”?  I hadn’t until one of my editors asked me if I had heard anything about it.  Curious, I tuned in and was pleasantly surprised.

While the title alone was not gripping enough to get my attention, the premise was intriguing.  It was a show about 8 astronauts on a 6 year mission to 7 planets – and, after just one episode, I was hooked.  With the solid and appealing casting of Ron Livingston, Laura Harris and Christina Cox, and a host of fresh new faces, the show was both interesting and fun to watch.  It was also intriguing and thought-provoking as it took the time to address the small stuff, like food, hair, plumbing, gardening, no sex, cross-training for medical emergencies, or even how spilt blood and vomit can clog air filters.  Yet no amount of fun casting, cool characters and attention to detail can save a show that is not treated with a little respect.

These days, television audiences are not simply going to turn on the TV and watch whatever is there.  No, in today’s television landscape there are over 100 regular TV channels to choose from and each of them caters to a specific niche audience.  Unfortunately, ABC is not known as a sci-fi network.  (“Lost” doesn’t count because most people don’t even think of it as a sci-fi show.)  ABC is known as the chick’s network.  That’s where you go to watch “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Brothers & Sisters” and “Dancing with the Stars.”  No self-respecting sci-fi aficionado would be caught dead watching ABC – though I suspect a few are closet “Lost” fans and sneak over there just to watch it when it’s on.

Also, as a regular TV viewer, even I was caught by surprise by the launch date.  Typically, summer run series are launched in June or July – not August – and with only 13 episodes filmed initially, “Defying Gravity” was never intended to be a Fall season show.  So it was doomed from the start:  no promotion, wrong network, bad launch date and the ultimate kiss-of-death, it was described as “Grey’s Anatomy” in space.

To prove my point, it took a solid week of nagging my dad and begging him to give “Defying Gravity” a chance before he would deign to watch it.  Like many other internet-savvy consumers, my dad believes that everything should be researched thoroughly before ordering or viewing.  A simple internet search brought up the phrase “Grey’s Anatomy in space” and he was bound and determined that it was not a show he would ever be caught dead watching.  Fortunately, a daughter’s wheedling can be very persuasive.

And so without much fanfare or celebration, “Defying Gravity” launched on Sunday, August 2nd to a total of 3.83 viewers in the United States.  (That’s not good – you could practically hear the crickets in that deafening silence.) Then over the course of the next seven episodes ratings fell even further to an unspectacular low of 2.53 viewers for its last U.S.-aired episode “Love, Honor, Obey,” which aired on September 13, 2009.  Labeled as both a “season finale” or “series finale” depending on which website you read it at, this was the end as we knew it.  Eight episodes and “Defying Gravity’s” run was cut short.  Sickening as it was that the show vanished so quickly, it also had the gall to leave the viewers with a cliff-hanger!  Just when the Antares crew went to see who or what Beta was — all we saw was them standing their awestruck.  I mean, seriously?!  Not even a peek for the viewers?  Sheez.

Okay, returning to my original premise, how does one exactly kill a sci-fi show in eight episodes?  I have come up with a few creative ideas here:

(1)    Premier it in August knowing perfectly well there will only be 7-8 weeks before the primetime Fall programming to begin and there will be no “space” on the schedule for it – thus, it will have to be kicked aside or killed regardless of ratings.

(2)    Provide virtually no advertising.  I live in Los Angeles and I never saw a billboard, bus bench (like the brilliant “District 9” advertising campaign), or a poster plastered at every bus stop (like the summer sensation “Drop Dead Diva”).

(3)    Make sure you put it on a night where no one will see it.  Such as, stick it on Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. – a notorious sci-fi wasteland.  I mean, name the last sci-fi show that succeeded on a Sunday night.  Even “BSG” was finally yanked off of Sundays and stuck on Friday nights.

(4)    Have one of the principal storylines be about the characters not being allowed to have sex.  No sex – seriously?!  While a cool sci-fi concept, it kind of turns off its adult demographic.  Why not just put it on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. if it’s going to be so tame?

(5)    Do not advertise to teenagers.  I mean, do teenagers even watch TV these days?  Aren’t they plugged into their iPods and other PDA’s stuck on U-tube or some other trendy social networking site?

(6)    Make sure to emphasize that the show was created outside of the United States for foreign markets.  Nothing attracts U.S. viewers faster than by marking something “Made in Canada” or “Made for German Distribution.”

(7)    Throw tens of millions of dollars away in a half-hearted attempt to launch the show.  Nothing says commitment and support like tossing money at something like there is a never-ending supply on a money-tree in the backyard.

(8)    Do not bother inviting the cast to Comic-Con, the TCA’s or any other televised or heavily promoted event – particularly if launching within a week or two of those events.

(9)    Do not schedule any talk shows or engage in any type of media blitz, such as getting the TV bloggers to talk about the show.  Definitely don’t set-up a Twitter account to encourage live chats and to get the show trending on the day it airs.

(10)    Do not offer any contests which reward the fans with giveaways, an exclusive chance to meet the cast or a chance to watch filming.

(11)    Do not approach NASA or other space-related advertiser for a lucrative tie-in; and especially don’t bother making any visits to schools with NASA representatives to generate interest.  I mean this is a show that thinks sex in space is bad. That’s got to be good for teenagers – abstinence is after all the latest thing.

(12)    Make sure to use the catch phrase “Grey’s Anatomy in space” as much as possible to alienate your primary audience: men and sci-fi buffs.

(13)    Do not bother with attempting to launch the show in the foreign market and allow it to build a core audience with positive critical buzz before trying to prematurely launch it in the U.S.  Just go for broke and toss it in with the sharks of other TV shows currently populating the television landscape.

(14)    Totally avoid doing any provocative or eye-catching print ads or TV spots to generate buzz/excitement.  Do as much as possible to down-play the cooler aspects of the show or any of the recognizable actors.

(15)    When you do decide to pull the show off the air, be sure to reassure the fans that it will be back – thereby preventing any last ditch effort to save the show or persuade another network to pick it up.

Looking back, these 15 ideas on how to kill a television show worked pretty good at putting the nail in “Defying Gravity.”   Kudos to ABC for employing these strategies so effectively and decisively.

In case you think I am in jest, I refer you to the article “How Defying Gravity Would Have Progressed, Straight From the Creator” by Keith McDuffee at CliqueClack.com.  In that article, James Parriott, creator of “Defying Gravity,” was kind enough to provide some insight on the behind the scenes shenanigans of ABC.  Mr. Parriott verified that ABC did not bother to pick up the show until three weeks before it aired on August 2, 2009, which provided little time for a marketing campaign or promotion of the show.  He also verified that the tagline “Grey’s Anatomy in space” hurt the show more than any negative review could have ever done.  And, last but not least, he verified that once “Defying Gravity” aired on ABC, there was no way that another network would pick it up – even after cancellation.  Syfy was only interested in shows that it could call their own – it is not taking any castoffs from other networks.  It would hurt their image too much.  So in the end, there was no hope.  “Defying Gravity” was doomed from the start.

As you continue to watch and enjoy other sci-fi shows, I caution you to remember this dire tale.  Any one of the glossy, new, slick sci-fi shows that you, too, have become suddenly attached to could just vanish overnight.  Be watchful and wary and cherish each and every second of the time you have left.  You just never know when that last moment will in fact be the last.
R.I.P. “Defying Gravity.”

Review of ‘Friday Night Lights’ – East of Dillon, After the Fall and In the Skin of a Lion

Proving that the motto “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” is not just for the West Dillon Panthers, the East Dillon Lions are capturing our hearts and laying claim to a legacy

Entering its fourth season, “Friday Night Lights” is proving yet again why it holds the critics’ claim of being the best show on television.  It is not just a show about football.  It’s about the people that make up this extraordinary town.  It could be any town in America.  It just happens to be Dillon, Texas where football can make or break any young athlete’s chances at a life outside of Dillon.  Football may not be the end all, be all of dreams come true, but it  can provide a way to make a career beyond high school.  It also provides the life lessons most kids need in order to succeed in adult life.  They may not all go on to be football stars, but it does give them good habits for life — to work hard, strive hard and push hard for your dreams.  It teaches kids to not only dream, but it also instills the drive to achieve those dreams.  Life is hard.  So it is crucial to gain the skills to survive.  High school only lasts four years.  Then what?  If you live in Dillon, Texas, then you are lucky enough that Coach Eric Taylor and Tami Taylor are going to do everything within their power to make sure you get a chance to attend college and make your dreams a reality.

Having successfully shepherded Jason Street, Smash Williams, Lila Garrity and Tyra Collette on to college and forward in their lives, the fourth season follows the continuing journey of Tim Riggins (who ditched college), Matt Saracen (who is pursuing his art dream), Landry Clarke (who is now playing football at East Dillon), Julie Taylor (also attending East Dillon High) and J.D. McCoy (now star of the West Dillon Panthers).  Joining them on this journey are newcomers Vince Howard (rebellious running back at East Dillon), Jurnee Smollette (Landry’s new friend), and Becky Sproles (Tim’s landlady’s daughter).  Last, but not least, are Coach Eric Taylor (new football coach at East Dillon High), Tami Taylor (West Dillon High’s principal), Buddy Garrity (staunch football supporter), and Joe McCoy (arch nemesis of Eric and Tami Taylor).

After Eric and Tami stood up to Joe McCoy and reported him for domestic abuse of his son, Joe got Eric fired from his job as coach of the West Dillon Panthers. The only coaching job available to Eric was the coaching position of the East Dillon Lions — a team not known for its winning streak. In fact, it is highly doubtful that East Dillon remembered it had a football team because the field had gone brown, the football uniforms were over 35 years old and none of the kids even knew how to play football. But if there is anything that Eric Taylor does best, it is taking raw talent and turning it into something miraculous. He creates amazing football teams. Not by recruiting the best talent, but by recognizing the inherent skills each player has and molding it into the best that person can be. He also creates teams — not just star players. The secret to football is having the best team, not the best players.

But like anything great, it does not happen overnight. If anything these first couple of episodes have shown is that it takes time to win people over and convince them that you have their best interests at heart. Eric had to persuade not only coaches and players to give it their all on the playing field, but also to get the community to stand behind their team and participate. A football team cannot play for a non-existent crowd in empty bleachers and it cannot play without uniforms. It also cannot play if its team refuses to show up for practice. It is an uphill battle, but Eric’s tenacity is winning them over.

Like her husband, Tami has had her own battles to fight. No longer one-half of the winning combination that took their school to the state championship, Tami finds herself confronted by an old school methodology that “if you’re not with us, you’re against us.” But all Tami has been doing is her job. Once she found out a student had faked his school records so that he could attend West Dillon and not East Dillon, she had to make him leave. As unpopular as this decision was, it is her job.

But it’s her job that’s on the line with Joe McCoy hell-bent on destroying her and her husband. With the aid and support of the football boosters, Joe is able to shine a spotlight on the fact that Tami kicked out one of the star players of the Panther’s team, which worked to her husband’s benefit as the East Dillon Lions got a star player. Joe McCoy also threatened to start an investigation of past illegal team practices that may have occurred under Eric’s coaching reign. The war is only just beginning in this battle of who is going to control the power over the Lions and the Panthers and if Tami will be able to keep her job as she continues to do the right thing at the expense of popularity.

In a surprising twist, Buddy Garrity forsook his comrades in arms at the Panthers booster club and took the side of the Taylors in the face of great adversity and animosity from the other boosters. It was a cheer worthy moment, but it will also surely incite further dissent among the two camps.

With the adults drawing the lines and taking sides, we see the kids trying to find their places and do the right thing. Tim Riggins, having dropped out of college, went in search of a job and a place to stay. In the process, he volunteered to help out coaching with the West Dillon Lions and scored a trailer to rent. But then quickly found himself in a tricky situation after his landlady’s teenage daughter, Becky, set her sights on him. On the upside, he has won over former Panther Luke Cafferty and may just help mold him into a wonderful Lions defensive back.

Landry is working hard also to make friends and befriended Jess Merriweather, daughter of former football star Vernon Merriweather. Landry is also turning out to be one of the most versatile players on the Lions’ team, having scored a special teams position.

Then Matt is trying his hand at learning to be an artist and finding it to be more challenging that he envisioned — especially after his community college teacher recommended him for an internship with a local artist, who seems determined to use him strictly for manual labor hauling bits and pieces of metal.

Julie is still caught up with the tug of war with her parents on how much they can dictate how she lives her life and simultaneously trying to figure out if she’s holding her boyfriend back from achieving his dreams.

With the added fresh faces of Vince Howard, Luke Cafferty, Jess Merriweather and Becky Sproles, there is plenty of human drama to become entangled with in Friday Night Lights. It continues to be a riveting and rewarding journey as we follow their stories and are allowed to share in their joys and triumphs over adversity. May we all be so lucky as to be blessed with many more stories to come.

What Worked

Returning to its roots of taking a fragmented team and showing them how to work together and succeed is a magical formula. It is a delicious treat to get to know the newcomers and to see how they mix with the returning characters. Even diehard Tim and Lila fans might be surprised to find that Tim and Becky are turning out to be a cute pair — even if it is forbidden love. And Landry and Jess are just adorable, which is a refreshing change of pace from the non-stop drama of his relationship with Tyra.

As the villain of the story, Joe McCoy is mesmerizing to watch. His knowing smirks are becoming legendary and the more he smiles, the more we know he is someone to be feared. It is chilling and foreboding to know that he is constantly plotting and will use any means to get what he wants. It makes a nice counterpart to Buddy Garrity’s new found support of the East Dillon Lions and the inevitable show down will be fun to watch.

What Didn’t Work

It was jarring to watch as Eric gave Vince’s mom the $20 when he was trying to locate Vince. One look at Vince’s mom practically screamed junkie or alcoholic and it was hard to believe that Eric would enable those kinds of addictions by providing her with cash. But I suppose it was another example of the lengths he would go to in order to get Vince to get his act together.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘East of Dillon’ was written by Jason Katims and directed by Peter Berg. ‘After the Fall’ was written by Kerry Ehrin and directed by Michael Waxman. ‘In the Skin of a Lion’ was written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman and directed by Patrick Norris. Friday Night Lights stars Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teagarden, Taylor Kitch, Zach Gilford, Jesse Plemons, Brad Leland, D.W. Moffett, Jeremy Sumpter, Michael B. Jordon, Matt Lauria, Madison Burge, Jurnee Smollette, Derek Phillips, Alicia Witt and Steve Harris. Friday Night Lights airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on DirecTV.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/11/18/friday-night-lights-east-of-dillon-after-the-fall-and-in-the-skin-of-a-lion/

Review of ‘Fringe’ – Of Human Action

Shudder with fear if a teenager were ever to get their hands on mind control drugs, for we would be but puppets for them to play with

Just when you thought the world might be a better place with corporations conducting genetic and pharmacological research, you see the dark side of what they could really be doing. They say they are looking for ways to cure diseases and overcome global warming, but what if that were just a cover for their more notorious experiments. In this episode, we got to see the darker side of Massive Dynamic and it was just as disturbing as feared all along. 

Just like in the kidnapping scenario, it was not the two big scary men that were the culprits, it was the young innocent looking boy.

Mind-control. The phrase alone sends shudders up and down one’s spine. To strip a person of their free-will and force them to act as a puppet to dance for a sociopathic master is diabolical.

The entire episode was one big shell-game. Nina Sharp (Blair Brown) and Dr. Carson (Andrew Airlie) knew all along that Tyler (Cameron Monaghan) had been fed brain-wave enhancing drugs. It should have been therefore no surprise that the kid would one day make use of his special abilities and act out. Lying to him about the death of his mother only fueled his rage and sparked the out-of-control killing spree that he ultimately engaged in. How many times have we told scientists that they cannot play “god,” but they refuse to listen and we all suffer at the hands of their arrogance?

All in all, it was a highly disturbing episode: both watching Tyler strip each person of their free-will and force them to commit heinous acts of violence to others and themselves, and watching how easy it was for Massive Dynamic to sit back and simply observe it all. Do they have no conscience? No sense of accountability and responsibility?

It was horrific to play witness to this callous disregard for human life. May God forgive them all for attempting to take his job.

What Worked

It was a taut episode in pacing, storytelling, and character interaction. With the clock running down to meet the kidnapper’s demands, everyone sprung to action. Olivia’s (Anna Torv) skeptical observation, “Money, all they want is money?!” was first real clue. Why kidnap a scientist’s son if the goal is to just get money? There had to be an ulterior motive. In the end it was love. The boy simply wanted to find his mother. Anyone who got in the way was simply eliminated.

It was a gripping story with much emotional resonance. Particularly as Peter (Joshua Jackson) tried to bond with the boy and asked, “What did your dad do to you anyway?” To which Tyler replied, “He told me my mother was dead.” Even Peter could not find fault with the kid’s anger over such a cruel thing to tell a child — that his mother was dead when she wasn’t.

There was also some fun dialogue, like when Peter observed that using “white noise” to block out the mind-control influence was absurd and said, “A teddy bear versus mind-control spies, those guys don’t stand a chance.”  Or when Peter sarcastically told Tyler, “You managed to kidnap yourself. Congratulations. You’re a criminal mastermind.”

By far the funniest moment was seeing Walter (John Noble) and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) at Massive Dynamic wearing the aluminum foil hats and Walter said, “I don’t trust them here. I think they’re trying to read my thoughts.” It was a funny visual, but there was also a grain of truth in it. That’s classic Walter. He may look and sound like a lunatic, but he’s usually right.

It was also cool learning a bit more about how potentially mind-control could work or be developed through pharmaceutical drug enhancement and whether there would be any way to control or combat it if it were ever achieved. The elimination of “white noise” as an effective filter and the need to upgrade to an electromagnetic pulse scrambler in order to disrupt the person’s brain waves was fascinating. Additionally, it gave us food for thought that the human brain is a computer and can be hijacked at any moment with the proper commands. Maybe Walter’s aluminum hat idea isn’t so crazy after all.

What Didn’t Work

It did seem a bit ludicrous that Tyler would simply be allowed a free-pass after all he had done. Peter said it best when he said, “Kid goes on a killing spree and all they’re going to make him do is talk it out with a bunch of shrinks?!” Surely, our government would not simply turn the kid back over to Massive Dynamic after killing so many law enforcement personnel.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘Of Human Action’ was written by Glen Witman and directed by Robert Chiappetta. ‘Fringe’ stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole. ‘Fringe’ airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.

 

Is This End of Sci-Fi on Television?

Now I Lay Thee Down To Sleep:  Are We at the Dawn of the Downfall of Sci-Fi Television?

With the recent cancellations of Joss Whedon’s “The Dollhouse” and ABC’s “Defying Gravity,” we are reminded yet again that television is not a gentle mistress for sci-fi television shows.

In fact, this is a bad time to be a sci-fi show on television. Television audiences just are not as forgiving and patient as they used to be. They do not want to wait for storylines to be slowly developed and then unpeeled layer after layer. They just want to have the onion cracked right open and to see what is inside. Alas, the only thing inside is but a nugget of what the real story is about. Just like a human life is not just about how a person died, a sci-fi story is not just about the last 15 minutes. A life is a journey. And that is what makes a story interesting – getting there is not just half the fun, it is the fun.

So when I hear people say that they could not follow “Lost” or just want to know all the answers to the questions posed, I am astounded. What good is it to list a set of answers to questions if it is not given some kind of framework to illustrate the importance or significance of the questions and the answers to each. One of the biggest and best questions from “Lost” has been: what is the monster? One day they just may tell us and we are going to be disappointed.

It is like pulling back the curtain in the “Wizard of Oz” and finding there is only an old man pulling all the levers. The story was much more exciting when Dorothy thought there was this magnificent Wizard of Oz who was the most powerful and magical being in the realm. And one day we will finally find out if Sylar is a good guy or bad guy on “Heroes” and we will feel just as unsatisfied with that answer as well. For it has been a roller-coaster of a ride wondering what the hell Sylar would do next. Was he going to help them or kill them in the end?

And one day Lex Luthor will rise up and be the notorious villain of comic-book lore. But watching the past 9 seasons of “Smallville,” I am grateful for the chance to see how Lex and Clark may have once been friends and how that disintegrated as Lex became more and more greedy and suspicious of what Clark may be hiding.

No, in sci-fi, it is the journey that is the most fascinating aspect of the story. One cannot simply read a book’s introduction and the last two pages, and in television, one cannot just have the opening credits and the closing scene. Nothing would make sense. We would not have the privilege and joy of discovering each character, their backstory and their path of self-discovery and see the importance of how they relate to one another. Life is not just about beginnings and endings. It is all the stuff in between that counts.

Yet more and more, television audiences are refusing to be satisfied with anything more than just the beginning and end. It is as if they were corrupted by the MTV-era and anything longer that 7 minutes is just too long and their inherent inability to sit still demands that they turn the channel or move on to the next pretty, shiny toy. However, seven minutes just is not enough to tell a story properly.

If you look back at any great television series (whether sci-fi or not), it was not just the first episode that was great or even the last episode. Somewhere in between there were these moments of greatness that no one ever saw coming. For “Heroes,” it was “Company Man.” For “Lost,” it was “Through the Looking Glass.” For “BSG,” it was “33.” And for virtually every show there is, you could name the one stand-out episode that was somewhere in the middle of that show’s journey.

But that one episode would have been nothing but for the episodes leading up to it. Each had carefully laid the foundation of the characters and how they related to one another that made those episodes all that much more climatic and amazing. No, the art of storytelling is laying the foundation. Just like a house cannot exist with just a hanging chandelier; for it must have a solid foundation, sturdy walls, a weatherproof roof and a few glistening windows. In sci-fi, a clever story has all the same elements. It has a strong foundation (the initial premise of the show), sturdy walls (the bare bones or turning points of the story), a weatherproof roof (an overall arcing story of where it is going), glistening windows (an array of interesting characters) and a whole lot of nails, boards, drywall, and paint. All these ingredients are necessary to build a home and all are just as equally necessary to build a sci-fi television series. If you leave one
out or skimp on the quality, all you have then is a shoddy home, or no home at all if the building inspectors deem it unfit for habitation.

These days the viewing audience is simply too impatient to allow for proper “homebuilding” (e.g., storytelling). We are the children of the “Me-generation” and the “I want it right now” generation. No patience. It is all about instant gratification. But nothing worthwhile can be achieved so quickly or by taking short-cuts. Recent examples would be the new television shows “FlashForward” and “V.” It is astounding how quickly viewers turned the channel once they realized they were not getting any fast answers. They wanted it right now, or they just tuned out. It is appalling.

One of the most highly regarded books of all time is Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” It is 1,475 pages long. God forbid someone ever told Tolstoy that people simply never take the time to read a book that long and he needed to shorten it to an acceptable length – like maybe 200 pages.

I posit that  science-fiction storytelling requires the same patience. It takes time to develop great stories and epic characters. It is only by taking the long journey with them that we appreciate all the exquisite attributes and their contributions along the way. It is also because we undertook the long arduous journey together that the pay off is that more rewarding. There is simply no greater joy than when finally reaching the end after a momentous journey.

So for all the impatient “I’ve got to have it now” television viewers I say this: you are missing out on the greatest story(ies) you’ll ever know simply because you had no patience to wait and discover where it went.

It is like opening your Christmas gifts the day after Thanksgiving. There is no joy in rushing things. Let the holidays unfold and wait patiently for Christmas morning. Watching all those glittering packages sit under the tree just builds the anticipation. And so it is with a sci-fi show, enjoy peeling back each exquisite layer. Cherish each and every character. Practice patience. Only then will you reap the reward having savored each and every moment of it.

So as we continue to hold wakes for the shows of yester year, mourning the loss of beloved “friends” that brought joy to our lives, we sit at sci-fi’s deathbed. For surely, shows like “Heroes,” “Fringe,” “V” and “FlashForward” will be next on the chopping block. Viewer-erosion is a sure fire way to foretell imminent cancellation. And with “Heroes” having fallen from a once regular viewership of 13 million to 5 million, “Fringe” from 12 million to 7 million, “V” from 14 million to 9 million and “FlashForward” from 11 million to 6 million, it is not hard to see the writing on the wall. Say your prayers or send you last-ditch pleas to networks, as I can hear the sound of the death bells tolling. Sci-fi television is surely at death’s door.

It is too soon to tell for such series, like “Stargate Universe,” “Sanctuary,” “Smallville,” or “Supernatural.” But, like “Lost” which closes the book on its 6 year journey next May, perhaps “Smallville” (which will be ending its ninth season) and “Supernatural” (which will be ending its fifth season) will also bow gracefully into the night.

That leaves shows such as “Stargate Universe,” “Sanctuary,” “Doctor Who,” “Torchwood,” “Eureka,” and “Warehouse 13” being the last holdouts of the sci-fi television era. We can only hope and pray that “Caprica” (the “Battlestar Galactica” prequel) captures enough of an audience to give it some legs. There is a sci-fi legacy that needs to be upheld. Let’s not have 2010 be the year that sci-fi television died.

Review of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ – History Repeating

Living forever doesn’t seem like much fun if you’re trapped in a tomb

As the series continues with its break-neck pace and with each episode revealing yet one more major surprise, this week’s episode was no less a roller-coaster ride with major reveals regarding Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) master plan, Katherine’s ultimate fate, the story behind the crystal and a surprise visit. To their credit, no one died in this episode which was a nice break from all the tear-jerker episodes of late.

Returning to the classic noir story-telling technique of having one of the primary characters dream they are in peril, only to awake and find that reality is perhaps stranger than fiction, Bonnie (Katerina Graham) dreamed she was in school and haunted by her long-lost ancestor Emily – only to awaken in the woods and, worse yet, to find out that Emily could haunt her while she’s awake. With the cryptic message, “This is where it started. This is where it has to end,” Emily warned that something bad loomed on the horizon.

Later when Damon confronted Bonnie in order to convince her to willingly relinquish the crystal, he warned her, “so the next time [Emily] comes out to play, you tell her a deal is a deal.” However, Bonnie, anxious to get rid of the crystal and not be prey to any further visits from Emily or Damon, tried to get rid of the necklace. But it kept coming back like a bad penny – or, in this case, an enchanted amulet. Emily’s magic was clearly strong and the crystal followed Bonnie around until Emily could successfully take possession of Bonnie and destroy the crystal once and for all.

While Bonnie struggled with Emily and the crystal, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon were engaged in another kind of psychological tug-of-war. Sensing that Stefan had less than pure motives in inviting him on a night out, Damon called him on it and said, “I’m impressed, Stefan. Fun with booze and darts, sentimental football and now a starry night. What do you want?” To which Stefan replied, “What do you want with Katherine’s crystal?” Damon calmly said, “I am going to bring her back.” And with that startling revelation, Damon’s plan was revealed. He had struck a dastardly bargain with Emily: in exchange for protection of her lineage, Emily agreed to seal Katherine in a tomb beneath the church using a protection spell.

However, in the past 150 years, Emily had a change of heart and vowed to not let Damon use the crystal to release Katherine. It was only after Stefan rescued him from where Emily had staked him to a tree that Damon admitted his darkest secret, “To save her, I had to save them. . . with one comes all.” Stefan was clearly shocked and said with disbelief, “This isn’t about love. This is about revenge. . . 27 vampires. You can’t just bring them back!” But in the end it was not their decision, Emily destroyed the crystal. However, Emily’s actions came at a price: Damon attacked Bonnie and shattered her world forever. As if it wasn’t disillusioning enough to find out that she was a witch, she was now confronted with the reality that vampires exist too. Made for a hell of a nasty day — though perhaps not as bad as Damon’s as he had lost the love of his life yet again to a cruel twist of fate.

Then not content to let the sun fade with our two vampires wallowing in guilt and despair, the doorbell rang and there was Logan (Chris J. Johnson) standing there saying, “Hello, Jenna. Aren’t you going to invite me in?” This also bodes badly for the future since the last time we saw Logan, he had been killed by Damon.

What Worked

With some of the best writing of the series, there was some great exchanges between Stefan and Damon who mocked each other by pretending to be each other. Also, Damon finally catching on that their game was something more said, “I’m on to you. Reverse psychology? It’s a little transparent, but I admire the effort. . . . Seriously, what game do you think you’re playing?” Stefan responded, “That’s a funny question, considering I’ve been asking you that for months.” Damon merely replied, “Frustrating, isn’t it? Touché.”

There were also some cool exchanges between Bonnie and Caroline (Candice Accola) as they tried to address their crossed-signals of communication. Such as, when Bonnie just wanted to get rid of the necklace and threw it away, she explained, “The necklace was giving me nightmares. I had to get rid of it,” and Caroline could only stare at Bonnie’s stupidity and wailed, “You could have given it to me!” Also fun was when Bonnie tried to tell Caroline that she never listens and Caroline exasperatingly said, “I listened. When do I not listen?!”

Then the most surprising turn of the night was not all the big revelations, but rather the smaller one between Caroline and Matt (Zach Roerig). Caroline called Matt on his casual manner toward her at school only to find out that he had snuck out the morning-after because her mom is the sheriff and “hey” is all he has ever said to her. The expression on Caroline’s face as she recognized the truth in that was priceless.

Then later, when Matt snuck back into Caroline’s bedroom, Matt admitted, “Look — earlier today. I lied. . . . About being in bed with you. We cuddled and it creeped me out. . . It’s just I don’t like you. I never have. But it was nice. . . .Being in bed with you. It felt nice and so I was thinking about it and I thought I should tell you. I stayed the night because you were all sad and alone and I felt bad for you.” As Caroline stared in horror and shock, she snippily replied, “Well, thank you. Love being a charity-case. You can leave now.” Matt tried to further explain by saying, “No, because I know. With Vicki gone and my mom with Peter-whoever, it’s just me. So I know.” And with that look of understanding between them, they finally understood one another. They were both simply alone in the world. Their bonding felt very natural and heart-warming in the midst of all the other epic drama going on.

What Didn’t Work

It was rather absurd in the end when Elena (Nina Dobrev) declared, “You don’t have to push me away. I can do this,” and Stefan stiffly replied, “I can’t. I have to leave, Elena. Too many people have died. Too much has happened. Coming here was a mistake.” It was very Twilight-ish and did not ring true after all that Elena and Stefan have gone through together.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘History Repeating’ was written by Bryan M. Holdman and Brian Young, and directed by Marcos Siega. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ stars Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Steven R. McQueen, Candice Accola, Katerina Graham, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig and Sara Canning. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

‘Dawson’s Creek’: A Look Back

Attending the special presentation “Dawson’s Creek: A Look Back” at the Paley Center on November 4, 2009 was a momentous occasion.  It was not only to mark the release date of the collector’s set of the entire six seasons on DVD, but it was also a chance to celebrate one of the most renowned teenage dramas on the WB Television Network.  If you were a teenager or simply a viewer with good taste, you undoubtedly watched “Dawson’s Creek” when it debuted in January of 1998.  It was much-hyped, critically-acclaimed and made a magnificent splash across the ratings board when it did, averaging 6.6 million viewers in its first season – and remains one of the all time highest rated shows on the WB.

In attendance for this special evening at the Paley Center were: James Van Der Beek (who played Dawson Leery), Meredith Monroe (who played Andie McPhee), Busy Philipps (who played Audrey Liddell), Kevin Williamson (creator and producer), and Paul Stupin (producer).  Also making a surprise visit was Monica Keena (who played Abby Morgan).

To commemorate the DVD release, Marc Rashba, Sony Home Entertainment Vice President of Marketing, welcomed the audience and stated how glad he was that they were finally able to get all six seasons cleared for a box set release, which he credited to the passion of the fans who acted as the driving force behind it.

Then, after a quick introduction by the evening’s moderator, Will Keck of TV Guide, everyone was treated to a special screening of the pilot episode of “Dawson’s Creek.”  It was the episode that started it all and launched the careers of several talented young actors:  James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps.

Later during the Q&A, when asked about how difficult it was to find an actor to play the lead character Dawson, Kevin Williamson and Paul Stupin admitted that it had been a grueling process and that Dawson ended up being the very last part cast.  In fact, it was two days before filming was supposed to start when they finally selected James Van Der Beek.  It was a close call, but as the subsequent six seasons proved, it was worth waiting for the right actor to bring the show to life – particularly as “Dawson’s Creek” was credited with putting the WB network on the television map, similar as to what “The Vampire Diaries” is currently doing for the CW.  (Though Kevin downplayed his role in creating both shows and the success they have brought to each network.)

Additionally, when asked how different it is now than it was in the late 1990’s creating a television show, Kevin remarked that the television landscape is much more fragmented and caters to niche audiences. Additionally, while Dawson’s Creek was considered scandalous at the time, in hindsight it now appears too innocent. It was really a show about romance, the sweaty palms and weak knees of teenage love. Kevin conceded that some of the dialogue he was able to get away with back then would never be permitted on today’s current television shows — such as the phrase “man meat” would be entirely too racy and taboo for today’s censors.

As for why there were so few parental figures on the show and those that were tended to be killed off, Kevin explained that it was due to budgetary constraints. They just did not have that kind of money for Dawson’s Creek and those tight constraints forced them to make tough choices. Busy was quick to chime-in “Death by Ice Cream Cone!” in reference to Dawson’s dad who was killed while eating an ice cream cone. James mentioned that when he first learned that his character’s father was going to be killed, his concern was (1) “Wow, what’s that going to do to this kid?” and (2) that he would never see John Wesley Shipp again, for once an actor was killed on the show that tended to be the last you saw of them because the show filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Also commenting on the various quick disappearances of characters from the show, Meredith noted that her character was shipped off to an institution, Busy’s character went to rehab, and even Monica’s character was drowned – thus Dawson’s Creek was a harsh show to be a recurring character on as one just never knew how long one would be sticking around. Despite their tenuous existence on the show, Busy, Meredith and Monica admitted that they were welcomed with open arms and had a wonderful time working on the show.

Recalling some of the things that stuck out in her mind during her time on the show, Busy shared that during one of her plane rides out to Wilmington she happened to be sitting next to both Linda Hamilton and Chad Michael Murray. While Linda was sweet, Busy was horrified to find herself associated with Chad as she did not like him at the time. On a positive note, she said that she had been very fortunate as the producers had wanted her for the show for a number of years and thus, when it actually came to be, the casting process was expedited for her. Thus, when she first arrived on the show, Katie was the first one to welcome her and greet her like an old friend. When asked if she remembered Katie ever talking about her future husband, Tom Cruise, at that time, Busy said she kind of did remember Katie talking about him like having a school girl crush and that Katie thought he was “the bee’s knees.”

As for Meredith Monroe, when asked to recall one of her favorite moments working on the show, she said that one of her favorite episodes was the slumber party episode (aka “The Breakfast Club” episode) and having the chance to work with Jason Behr. She also fondly recalled she had specifically requested from the wardrobe department a superhero costume that she wanted to wear because she thought they should just lighten up and have some fun. She was thereafter “Captain Fun” with a cape and rubber boots! She even once tried to pitch an episode where “we’re having fun!” but Paul Stupin had merely smiled at the time and said, “No. But I like your enthusiasm.”

When asked about Kerr Smith’s character, Jack McPhee, Kevin mentioned he wanted the audience to love the character first and then to the reveal the truth of whom he was so that the audience would still love him. Plus, it would be a good “oh, Joey’s free” kind of thing for Dawson. Thus, in his mind, it was the perfect way to make Joey available again — to have her boyfriend come out of the closet. That also became the turning point for the series as they then created the love triangle that would divide the fans for the rest of the series.

Kevin further revealed that, because he only worked on the 1st and 2nd seasons of Dawson’s Creek, he was grateful to be asked to return and write the series 2 hour finale. It was then that he had to decide who Joey would end up with once and for all. He admitted that he himself did not know when he began writing the finale. He just knew that he wanted it to be special. Also, the show was always supposed to be about a coming of age story with a twist and that convinced him that he needed to kill one of the characters off. For it had always been a story about life lessons and the last lesson for these characters was: what does one do when someone you care about and is part of your world dies? He wanted to see how the other characters would rally around and deal with grief – a truly heart-breaking grief.

Busy then shared that Michelle Williams had once told her something very insightful: Michelle’s character, Jen, had been the catalyst in the pilot for all these characters to change, so it was only fitting that in the end that Jen was the catalyst for all of them to move-on in their lives. Jen’s death was then to be the final catalyst for all of them. It was because of her death that they all ended up making the hard decisions that had to be made — and it was to be the final straw to find out who ended up with whom.

In the end, Kevin said he believes that Dawson and Joey did end up together because they are soul mates – and a soul mate does not necessarily mean a person’s romantic love. With soul mates, it is a love that will last forever and goes beyond all romantic love. He said, “Ultimately the way I see it, she did end up with Dawson. It was just a story of love and friendship.”

James also chimed in that he thought it was the most truthful way to end the series and that they could not see any other way to end it. When asked if any of them want to re-visit their characters from Dawson’s Creek, Kevin firmly stated, “We’ve closed the door. Let it all be a memory. This is a very nostalgic coming of age story. Let it be nostalgic now and let us all think back like ‘Aw, I liked that show.’” Paul also added that in his mind the show always felt like it had a bittersweet quality, as though an older person was reflecting back on their life where everything was magnified to the extreme and with sophisticated dialogue. Thus, they had already gone back and revisited these characters.

As to the question, where would their characters be now? Meredith said Andie would be running an empire because she was so type-A and driven. Busy said that she feels like she is playing Audrey, just older, on Cougar Town. And James said Dawson probably went on to create a show about teenage vampires. And with that humorously appropriate comment, it was a fitting end for a nostalgic night.

It was with great fondness and smiles all around as everyone said goodnight. Dawson’s Creek will be embraced in our hearts and remembered forever.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2009/11/10/dawsons-creek-a-look-back/

Review of ‘Fringe’ – Earthling

Alternate dimensions are one thing, but what do we do when we discover we are not alone in the universe?

 

The opening sequence alone was enough to make your hair stand on end.  A man was planning a romantic rendezvous with his wife for their anniversary.  But, as he set out the vase of roses and a card, a shadow walked by.  Sensing there was something there, he turned and proceeded to search the apartment, flipping on light switches to find out if anyone was there.  When one of the lights went out, he turned it back on to discover a shadow figure.  Backing away slowly, it was clear he would not survive.  Then when his wife arrived, she found him sitting in a chair and, as she reached out to touch him, he crumbled into dust.  It was ashes to ashes.

What kind of being can turn a person literally to dust?  And not just a pile of dust, but sucking the entire life right out of a person so that a shell looking just like them is all that is left — until it is touched and falls into a million particles.

Unlike a radioactive blast which evaporates a human body so all that is left is the shadow of a person’s presence, in this case something was draining bodies of their natural radioactive energy and leaving brittle shells — a mere copy of the person that used to be.

For Agent Broyles (Lance Reddick) this case brought back memories of a long time ago.  He recognized the handiwork of a serial killer he had been tracking four years earlier.  In that case, the killer had contacted him and sought his help in preventing any further killings.  The killer’s one condition was, “This wont stop until you solve the formula.”  It was a formula that he had given to Broyles — but the FBI had been unable to crack it at that time.  So with Walter (John Noble) busily trying to decipher the formula, the team set out to find the killer.

Unfortunately, their search soon revealed that the killer was sought after by the CIA and Russians as well.  He was a man who had kidnapped his own brother, a Russian cosmonaut, and who was believed to have stolen Russian technology that allowed a person to be rendered invisible.  Which, as Peter (Joshua Jackson) wryly noted, “Russian fringe-science, there’s a pleasant thought.”  However, after receiving word that the case was now under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CIA, Broyles refused to give up.  This was the case that had cost him his marriage, so he was bound and determined to see it through.

Alas, as Walter finally figured out, there was no simple way to separate the organism from the host.  The shadow was some kind of being the cosmonaut had picked up in space and there was no way to separate them.  They had become one and the same.  So, with further human life in imminent danger, Broyles did the only thing he could, he shot the cosmonaut in the head.

But, as we later learned, even that was not a permanent solution.  When confronted by a mysterious CIA agent outside his ex-wife‘s house, Broyles curiously asked what they did with the cosmonaut.  The CIA agent cryptically responded, “We had no choice once he started breathing again,” and then pointed up to the sky.  Apparently, it was decided that if they could not kill it or contain it, the only real option was to ship it back into to space.

What Worked

It was fun scene to watch as Agent Broyles noticed the young boy at a nearby restaurant table who was mimicking him and how they then played a bit of peek-a-boo behind the menus.  It hinted at a depth of a man yet unseen and undiscovered.  It was but a momentary reprieve from his forced isolation from his own family.  For in searching for the truth and to protect them all, Broyles had lost his own wife and children.

Also, Walter remained comedicly absurd in the face of dire reality as he spouted off remarks like, “It reminds me of Christmas” upon seeing the first body of ash.  In his mind, it reminded him of a time when Peter would play with the logs in the fire at Christmas time.  But for everyone else, it was a horrible tragedy of a man who had died by some mysterious means.  Walter’s tenuous grasp on reality is still quite startling.

And Walter’s comment, “This is not a job for the purple flower.  No, this is a job for the tinker toys,” was hysterical.

What Didn’t Work

After giving Peter such a strong assertive stance at the beginning of the season, it is disappointing that he has been shuffled into the background yet again. 

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘Earthling’ was written by J.H. Wyman and Jeff Vlaming and directed by Jon Cassar. ‘Fringe’ stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole. ‘Fringe’ airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.