Review of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ – Unpleasantville

Never assume that anything is exactly what it seems when everyone is wearing a mask

The Decade Dance turned out to be more of a masquerade with so many people hiding their true intent behind a mask of illusion. We had Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) pretending to be Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) escorts to the dance, when in fact they were bodyguards in hunt of the vampire stalking Elena. There was Noah (Dillon Casey), Anna (Malese Jow) and Ben (Sean Faris) all pretending to be average teenagers, hiding their true identities and intentions. And there was Alaric (Matt Davis) pretending to just be a history teacher, when he too had many secrets to keep. Perhaps only Bonnie (Katerina Graham), Matt (Zach Roerig), Caroline (Candace Accola) and Jenna (Sara Canning) were the only ones really not hiding what they were up to. They were all just looking for love. Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) was also just a bit clueless, but he too seemed sincere in his actions. Is nothing what it seems in Mystic Falls?

So in another blast from the past, we saw our fearless crew embark on another adventure. With so many hidden agendas, it is a wonder that anything was accomplished at all. But, astoundingly, they did unmask the vampire stalking Elena and a few more villains revealed themselves as well. Apparently everyone really wants to open that blasted crypt. Don’t they know that they should be careful what they wish for? For surely unleashing 26 hungry and vengeful vampires is a risky venture and will lead to all kinds of unfathomable complications.

What Worked

There were a lot of “Scream” nostalgic moments in this episode, including when Noah stalked Elena in her own home while she was on her cellphone and later as he chased her through the school hallways. When Elena asked Stefan why this particular vampire was so intent on pursuing her, Stefan tried to explain by stating, “It’s because we’re predators. . . we hunt, we stalk. It’s often as exciting as a kill.” In mock-exasperation Elena asked, “Shouldn’t you guys be able to sense each other or something?” To which Stefan was forced to admit, “No, it doesn’t work that way.” But he did the next best thing and gave her the Gilbert compass so she would always know if there was a vampire around. Gotta love a guy who so willingly shows off his strong protective side: he has not only given her a vervain-filled necklace and the compass, he also made vervain-infused necklaces and bracelets for all of Elena’s friends and family to protect
them as well. Chivalry at its finest.

It was also great that Elena stood up for herself and fought back when Noah came after her. Her ingenuity in using a pencil to stab him and then breaking a nearby broom handle was reminiscent of a scene from “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.” It was a classic Joss Whedon technique and a nice nod to a fellow genre. As Elena said, “I fought back tonight. It felt good.” Go girl-power!

Another cool example of self-empowerment was demonstrated when Bonnie stood up to Damon and taunted him by saying, “You know I can start fires with my mind, right? And fire kills vampires – so stay the hell away from me.” The look on Damon’s face as he processed her threat was priceless. It was also rather funny and endearing to see how hard Damon tries to hold onto his pretend-youth and to fit in. Plus, his attempts to ask each of the girls to dance was pretty darn funny – especially since they all so richly shot him down.

And kudos to Caroline for calling Matt on his ridiculous reservations about taking their relationship to the next level. She is a strong girl who she is not afraid to embrace a new relationship, even with a guy who is admittedly still hung up on Elena. She was still willing to give it a try. I am constantly surprised at how much chemistry there is between Caroline and Matt; whether it be when they were playfully painting together or confronting each other at the grill. They are a believable couple, so it is great that the show is letting their relationship evolve.

Loved, loved, loved the reveal that Alaric’s wife, Isobel (Mia Kirshner), is Elena’s mother. Who saw THAT coming?! It was a nice puzzle-piece that helped put together the underlying motivation behind Alaric’s move to Mystic Falls. It also makes us wonder whether he knows that Elena is Isobel’s daughter.

And who didn’t love the eye-popping reveal that sweet and innocent-looking Anna from the library is a vampire? My heart nearly stopped when she nearly gave herself away when her eyes changed in front of Jeremy at the dance. I am seriously thinking that they all should be carrying their own vampire-detecting compass as it surely is a “must have” item in Mystic Falls. It was also particularly fun and illuminating when Anna warned Noah, “Leave the girl alone” (referring to Elena), and he simply replied, “I like her. She looks like Katherine.” To which Anna sharply said, “She’s not Katherine!” But Noah in his own dense and sadistic way said, “I know, but until we open that tomb, I’ve got her to play with.” Oh foolish vampire, you certainly had a death-wise.

Jeremy also had a fine moment of clarity when he said to Anna using some distinctly “Dawson”-esque dialogue, “You’re doing that thing again.” To which Anna innocently asked, “What thing?” Jeremy then said, “Where you pretend we’re dating even though we’re not.” And Anna impishly replied, “You mean stalking.” Who knew how true these words were – especially after we found out that Anna is a vampire, and she IS stalking him?!

What Didn’t Work

I am not so sure about Bonnie being so brazen as to openly hit on an older bartender – particularly when she now knows that there are dangerous supernatural beings living in Mystic Falls. You would think she would have some kind of witch-test with which to screen potential suitors in order to make sure they are not vampires or something worse.

And surely Alaric would have known better than to approach Damon at the dance and ask so many questions as to tip his hand. Does he really want Damon wondering why he was asking?! Let’s not invite the vampire to look too closely, shall we? And I am still wondering how the heck Damon did not hear Alaric when he stumbled across Damon eating his wife, Isobel. Surely Damon’s super-human hearing would have heard Alaric come in. That bit is a puzzler and it does not fit.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘Unpleasantville’ was written by Barbie Kligman and Brian Young, and directed by Liz Friedlander. ‘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 and Marguerite MacIntyre. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

“Avatar” vs. “District 9” – In a deeply divisive race, an argument as to why “District 9” deserves the Oscar for Best Picture more than “Avatar” (part 2)

Part 1 can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/25eggod

To supplement and conclude the arguments raised in last week’s TV Watchtower column, the following are additional reasons why “District 9” is a more Oscar-worthy film than the mega-hit “Avatar.” As a recap, the issues previously discussed in last week’s column were (1) costs v. profits, (2) realism v. fantasy, and (3) micro-story v. epic adventure. Continuing along there are six more issues that address why “District 9” deserves the Best Picture Oscar more than “Avatar.”

Portrayal of Physical Disabilities

Another area which is incendiary, but pivotal, is the significant contrast in how people with disabilities are portrayed in each film. In “District 9,” Wikus found himself turning into a prawn, which was a horrific disability for him. It made him an outcast, potential medical experiment for his own kind, and an oddity amongst the prawns. He was unwelcome everywhere he turned. There is no place for a half-human, half-prawn. He was even more discriminated against than the prawns, as they are at least minimally tolerated. In “Avatar,” while Jake saw himself as less than a man without the use of his legs and being confined to a wheelchair, he was accepted as a valued member of the Marines and the science unit in order to complete the avatar mission. He was treated with equality and welcomed as a useful member. He was not simply tossed aside or hunted down because of his disabilities.

While both Jake and Wikus rejected their disabled status and sought to be free from it, in the end, Wikus accepted his disability and learned to live with it. Jake, in turn, fled his own human body to escape his disability. This sent a distinctly different and prejudicial message about those suffering from physical disabilities. “District 9” showed the horror, denial and then eventual acceptance of Wikus adapting to his new disabled state. Despite not being happy to be converted into one of the prawns, Wikus made the best of his changed-state and modified his life to fit in and adapt – even thought he clearly wanted to be human again, for he still loved his wife. But in the end, he did not reject his own kind in order to fit in with the prawns.

But “Avatar” showed only Jake’s disgust and revulsion for his disabled status. He did not accept his human limitations in the end, and hastily forsook being human to escape his disability and embrace a new life as one of the Na’vi. Thus, “District 9” portrayed a better depiction of living with, not escaping from a disability.

Big Name Stars v. No Name Actors

Striving to keep it real in “District 9,” Neill Blomkamp used virtually unknown actors. It was risky to cast an actor who had only one other small film role before entrusting him to carry a major feature film project. Yet it was a gamble that paid off in a big way. Having an unknown face playing Wikus made it easier to believe that he was a real person stuck in a horrible real-life situation. It kept the viewer linked into the story.

“Avatar” of course took the direct opposite approach and cast several big name and recognizable stars in order to attract an audience. There was Sam Worthington (who had just come off his starring role in “Terminator Salvation”), Sigourney Weaver (a James Cameron favorite from the “Alien” films), Zoe Saldana (made famous for her role as Uhura in “Star Trek”) and Michelle Rodriguez (best known from the television series “Lost”). Every time a new scene started, there was a familiar face for the audience to exclaim at and admire. It did not help keep the audience grounded in the film and the reality that “Avatar” had created; instead, it promptly took the viewer out of that reality.

High Expectations v. No Expectations

Also with “Avatar,” everyone saw it coming. It had been highly publicized since the day it had begun filming. For it was touted to be the next great film from the Oscar Award winning producer James Cameron. It was relying on James Cameron’s hefty reputation to carry it through in order to become a box office success. So, with the James Cameron legacy and promotional machine pushing it in a huge blaze of glory and high expectation, virtually everyone had heard of the film well before its release and it was simply a countdown to the Christmas extravaganza at the box office.

“District 9,” on the other hand, was a film that no one saw coming. Despite coming from Peter Jackson, another Oscar Award winning producer, the name recognition and publicity push just was not there. Instead, the studio elected to focus on a novel grassroots publicity campaign. It screened select scenes before a rabid group of sci-fi fans at Comic-Con one year before its release and let them, along with some strategically and thought-provoking ads, drive the momentum to introduce “District 9” to its audience before its release. Because those mysterious billboard ads and bus bench ads simply read “Humans Only,” no one knew what the film was about. It was simply out of curiosity movie-goers initially checked out the film and word then quickly spread. But even with the tagline “a Peter Jackson film,” it was not a hyped film. It was only because of the grassroots campaign that, once lit, spread like wildfire.

Waiting for Technology v. Waiting on Nothing

Unlike the egomaniacal James Cameron who boasts how he wrote the script within 2 weeks over 10 years ago and had to wait for the technology to develop before he could actually make his dream project; prior to making “District 9,” it was but a tiny story that Neill Blomkamp had previously made a short-film called “Alive in Joburg.” It was not until the financing fell through for the feature film “Halo” that he had been working on with Peter Jackson that Neill and Peter decided to tackle the small story and bring it to a wider audience. There was no waiting about it. They just saw the opportunity and went for it. It did not even deter them that the special effects company they wanted to use was already tied-up working on “Avatar.” No, once Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp decide to move forward, they moved with lightening speed. They did not wait over a decade for technology to develop to do the film of their dreams. They took a leap of faith and made a fantastic film — one that is now competing against the gargantum “Avatar,” that cost 10 times as much and took over 10 years to make. “District 9” is indeed the little film that launched itself with the speed many other film makers would envy.

Which had the more realistic love-story?

“District 9” offered us an established loving relationship where Wikus would do ANYTHING to get back to his wife, and who still looked after her despite being separated by the harshest of circumstances.

Whereas, “Avatar” offered a young man seduced by the wonder of a new world and the amazing delights it had to offer. He did not fall in love with Neytiri initially, but only after he realized he wanted to become one of them. Thus, it was hard to distinguish whether he was more in love with the Na’vi-life than with her? After all, Jake assimilated into her world and did not attempt to bring her into his. Was it more an act of love to willingly give up humanity itself and become one of her own kind to be with her?

Both films seemed to rely on the powerful bonds of love that compelled their protagonist to embrace extremes in order to prove their love for the woman of their dreams. Yet Wikus’ love ultimately felt more realistic as he would do anything for the woman he loved, even if it meant being separated from her and watching from afar. Jake’s love of Neytiri felt dependent on his love the world she could provide for him. He did not just want her, he wanted to be one of them and to live amongst them. His love felt more conditional as a result. Thus, Wikus’ unconditional love is much more powerful, real and touching.

Apartheid v. Corporate Greed

Both “Avatar” and “District 9” had strong socio-political messages and they were no-holds barred about it. “District 9” was a thinly-veiled mirror of apartheid in South Africa; and “Avatar” was a not-so-subtle allegory of the destruction of the Amazon and the American Indians all due to corporate greed. The “separate but equal” treatment of the prawns in “District 9” was repulsive and despicable, yet relatable given how vastly different they appeared to us – at least initially. For we later saw, Wikus and Christopher had learned to rely on and trust each other, and in the process, they also seemed to better appreciate one another.

In “Avatar,” it was just the opposite: the Na’vi had no desire to be granted equal status among the humans, they simply wanted to get rid of the humans. The Na’vi were just as discriminatory about excluding humans as the humans were about keeping them separate. It was even more telling that Jake chose to give up his human body in order to live amongst the Na’vi. He did not want to live amongst them as a human. He only wanted to live with them as one of their own kind.

So while neither film really addressed the “separate but equal” treatment as being wholly wrong, they did succinctly address the wrongness of corporate greed. In “District 9,” it was MNU’s desire to get a hold of the alien weaponry and to be able to use it that compelled them to work with the government in the relocation efforts of the prawns. And in “Avatar,” it was the greed of RDA in securing the largest deposit of unobtainium that motivated them to use mercenaries and military personnel in the forced-relocation of the Na’vi. Corporate greed was prevalent in both films and depicted with an equal measure of callous disregard for the well-being of the alien race to be forcibly-relocated.

In “District 9,” there was no resolution to this issue, other than Wikus was able to escape their evil clutches and hopefully evade capture until Christopher Johnson returned to cure him. In “Avatar,” Jake mounted a successful war to eradicate RDA and its military presence from Pandora. But in the end, one was left with the feeling that corporate greed would ultimately strike back at a later date – perhaps in a sequel film. Greed is not something that can be cured, and to this day apartheid still is a cancer we cannot eradicate from our own world, so it is hard to imagine it being cured in a sci-fi realm either.

Conclusion

In sum, both films were equally weighted in their success in generating significant box office revenue and in addressing weighty socio-political issues. But the real differences lie in the categories of: realism, scope of story, portrayal of disabilities, casting of recognizable actors, expectations, timeliness in bringing their stories, and their central love stories. In 7 of the 9 categories, “District 9” was simply the superior film. Accordingly, with so much in its favor, it clearly deserves to win the Oscar. “Avatar” is but a pale shadow in comparison. When looking for a Best Picture, the Academy surely will weigh such considerations and determine that “District 9” is the worthier film and crown it as such.

A controversial opinion, but a sound one. “District 9” simply deserves to be the Best Picture winner of the 2009 Oscar.

Review of ‘Heroes’ – The Art of Deception

From the “How-to-be-a-Villain handbook,” if you are caught killing hundreds of people, you had better frame the good guys with a massacre

Last week we watched with trepidation as Vanessa (Kate Vernon) turned down Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) invitation to live in paradise; for as she softly told him, “This is your fantasy. It’s not my life.” Afterwards, Samuel’s anger knew no bounds and we watched helplessly as he cruelly and callously destroyed the beautiful oasis with one twitch of his hands. Because it was so public and visible, I had wondered how he could get away with it. Thus, it was nice to see that the writers addressed this glaring question immediately.

This week, the episode opened with Samuel looking around him and noting with sorrow that many of his “family” had vanished overnight. He sadly noted, “They’re afraid of me.” To which Lydia (Dawn Olivieri) quietly said, “What did you expect after watching you destroy that town?”

Samuel knew that in order to redeem himself in the eyes of his followers, he needed a miracle – something significant to sway public opinion back on his side; and the resulting massacre was shocking to behold. Despite Claire’s (Hayden Panettiere) plea that, “If you care about this family, protect them,” Samuel threw back the glove of truce offered. Instead, he had conceived a diabolical plan to frame Noah (Jack Coleman) for the shooting-spree at the carnival which had left Samuel, Claire, and Lauren (Elisabeth Rohm) bleeding from gun shot wounds and Lydia (poor Lydia) lying in a pool of blood. It was only as Samuel kissed her good-bye that Lydia realized in horror what he had done. As she gasped, “You did this?!” Samuel mockingly said, “They needed a villain. Someone worse than me.”

With the villain-within fully revealed, it was with further horror that we saw that Samuel had summoned Emma (Deanne Bray) to help with the wounded. As he ushered her back into the depths of the carnival standing amongst the dead and dying, we felt with growing dread how easily Samuel was going to manipulate Emma, preying on her sympathy and fears, in order to align her with his demented interests. Thus, it was with a chill running down our spine, we heard Samuel ominously say, “It’s time we showed the world what we truly are.”

The gauntlet had been thrown down and Samuel was eager to demonstrate just how lethal his family can be. It remains to be seen if Samuel can rival the revulsion and fear that Sylar (Zachary Quinto) has inspired. It will also be intriguing to find out if Sylar will align with Samuel or be the savior of them all.

What Worked

Perhaps acknowledging that Claire can never really be normal and that she will never have a normal life, the look on Gretchen’s (Madeline Zima) face as she watched Claire take off with her car keys was telling. It was with a look of sad realization that she could not fight back fate, nor Claire’s desire to embroil herself in the thick of any controversy involving anyone with abilities. She finally understood that no matter how much Claire may think she wants a normal life, she goes out of her way to embrace and pursue the problems she claims she wants to get away from.

The final spectacularly cool moment was when Lauren picked up the phone and made the call that will help spur an epic villainous confrontation; for she had called the one person Noah said would help. And who did not get chills upon seeing that it was Tracy Strauss (Ali Larter) on the other end of the phone? It seems fitting that in the end of this epic journey, it would pit Sylar and Tracy against Samuel.

What Didn’t Work

In what was supposed to be a momentous confrontation between Sylar and Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg), instead what we got was an absurd request from Sylar that Matt help get rid of Sylar’s acquired abilities. It seemed surreal and un-genuine when Sylar moaned, “I can’t live with them anymore, so you need to take them away.” But Matt, seeing the opportunity to finally turn the tables on Sylar, leapt at the chance to lock Sylar inside his own mind. For he knew this is Sylar’s greatest fear: to be forced to live alone forever. Eternity alone is indeed a nightmare of an existence. Thus, it felt even more absurd when Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) arrived just as Matt was cementing Sylar into a wall in his basement, and Peter tried to rescue Sylar, which prompted Matt to lock Peter up in his own mind – or was it Sylar’s mind? Either way, with two of the most powerful heroes stuck inside someone’s head, who will come to their rescue? With Angela’s (Cristine Rose) warning ringing in our ears, “One isolated incident does not make Sylar your friend’s savior,” we are also left to wonder if Sylar should be rescued or left to rot for eternity inside his own lonely mind.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘The Art of Deception’ was written by Mark Verheiden and Misha Green and directed by SJ Clarkson. ‘Heroes’ stars Jack Coleman, Greg Grunberg, James Kyson Lee, Masi Oka, Hayden Panettiere, Cristine Rose, Milo Ventimiglia, Robert Knepper, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Zachary Quinto. ‘Heroes’ airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Spotlight on Rose Byrne

Landing her first feature film role at the age of 12, Rose Byrne had the immediate good fortune to be working with the notorious Sandra Bernhard; for surely, working along side such a distinct and strong actress taught her how to make her presence felt. For the next 8 years Rose would then work steadily in a variety of film and television roles learning the craft. She even worked with Heath Ledger during the same year he starred in the indie film “10 Things I Hate About You.” Unlike Heath who began a super streak readily visible to every one, Rose pursued a determined path as she set out to conquer both television and film.

Then, in 2002, Rose scored a minor but significant role in the sci-fi film Star Wars: Episode II playing Dorme, the handmaiden to Natalie Portman’s character, Padme. This role was pivotal in introducing her to Sofia Coppola, who would later cast her in the film Marie Antoinette. But before Sofia Coppola could showcase her remarkable talents, Rose continued her astute journey towards leading film roles working along side Matt Dillon in City of Ghosts, co-starring with Marc Blucas and Bill Nighy in I Capture the Castle, and best of all, scoring the memorable role of Briseis in the epic film Troy, the priestess rescued by Brad Pitt’s character, Achilles, who captured his heart.

Tackling next a darker role, Rose played Alex in the wicked love triangle in the film Wicker Park with Josh Hartnett and Diane Kruger (who she had co-starred in Troy, with Diane playing the infamous Helen of Troy). Rose then moved on to a three episode arc in the British television series Casanova, which starred Peter O’Toole and David Tennant (of Doctor Who fame).

Just as her career was really beginning to build momentum, Rose took on the industrious task of starring in seven films in a 4 year period. She co-starred in Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst, she played a fellow scientist alongside Cillian Murphy in the sci-fi indie Sunshine, scored the key role of Scarlet in 28 Weeks Later (the sequel to the film that made Cillian Murphy famous), and also played the romantic love interest of Hugh Dancy in the film Adam. She also managed to find the time to work with Nicolas Cage in the film Knowing.

Astoundingly, right in the midst of all these films, Rose simultaneously landed the role for which she would become known around the globe: the eager young, and naïve attorney Ellen Parsons on Damages. Playing against Glenn Close, Ted Danson, Tate Donovan and Zeljko Ivanek, Rose had the role of a lifetime. It was the image of her running out of a hotel clutching a blood stained dress that caught the imagination of the television audience. Rose’s portrayal of Ellen Parsons was mesmerizing. Her wide-eyed innocence belied a heart of steel and a mind of razor-sharp edge that was able to weave through the tangled web of deceit that Patty Hewes had created.

For anyone who has seen Rose in any of the many amazing roles she has portrayed, you remember one thing: her. She is simply riveting. Her luminous dark eyes draw you in and make you want to be a part of the world she inhabits for a while. She also radiates such goodness that it is always shocking to find that her characters are not always the embodiment of goodness. This duality allows her a wider range of roles and challenges the audience as we are never sure who she is and what she is up to. Hence, we simply cannot get enough of watching Rose as she dances across the screen, television or film. May she continue to entrance us all.

Damages airs Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. on FX and returns on January 25, 2010.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/01/25/spotlight-on-rose-byrne/

Review of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ – Bloodlines

A walk on the wild side, a road trip down memory lane and an earth-shattering discovery

Starting right back where the show left us two months ago, we witnessed the aftermath of Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) car accident. Just as the shadowy figure began to approach, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) arrived in the nick of time. It was a Heathcliff-ian rescue as he ripped off the door of Elena’s car and took her sweepingly into his arms checking anxiously to see if she was okay. But then Elena softly mumbled, “I look like her,” and lost consciousness. Not sure what to do with her, Damon did the next best thing. He put her gently in his car and took her to Georgia with him.

Yep, Georgia. So what the heck was in Georgia? Apparently, another powerful witch, something Damon needed in order to take another crack at that blasted crypt locked tight for eternity with his beloved trapped inside.

However, Elena was on her own mind-trip as she tried to wrap her head around the idea of Katherine looking so eerily like her. Back at home, Stefan (Paul Wesley) agonized not knowing where Elena was, acutely aware that she did not have her vervain-filled necklace to protect her from Damon. It did not help when he tried to reach her and Damon answered her cellphone. So, in light of the massive revelation and the scary car accident and in spite of her initial misgivings, Elena leapt at Damon’s off-the-cuff offer to “step away from your life for 5 minutes” and joined him on the journey into the past in Georgia.

What was truly revealing and astounding in this episode was the blossoming friendship between Damon and Elena. Her tentative inquiry, “Am I going to be safe with you,” was but a precursor. She knew perfectly well that she was not safe, but the fact that he had not yet killed her or caused her harm led her to make the tentative overture of friendship. This is somewhat revealed by her wistfully asking him, “This is a nice act. Is any of it real?” It was at the end of the episode, when she finally got up the courage to pry into Damon’s soul by asking, “So why did you bring me with you?” and he tellingly replied, “You’re not the worst company in the world,” that the depth of Damon’s loneliness was laid bare. It was a glimpse into the soul of a lonely vampire. Despite Damon’s horrific vampire desires and casual cruelty, he is still a lost soul that does not want to be alone. After all, forever is a long time.

It is Damon and Elena’s friendship that was truly fascinating to behold. It will be an interesting and delightful journey to watch as they embrace that friendship.

What Worked

Everything to do with Alaric (Matthew Davis). Watching him as he said, “I was right about Mystic Falls. There is evil here. I can sense it – feel it – it’s everywhere,” while staring longingly at the photo of his wife helped shed light on his motivation for coming to Mystic Falls. Additionally, seeing the brief glimpses into his past as he recalled the day his wife died was revealing and heart-breaking. Mia Kirshner as his wife, Isobel, was marvelous. Thus, when we later saw her previous life-blood dripping out of her neck as Damon devoured her, was heart-wrenching. But it begged the question: how did Alaric get away alive after walking in on them?

Also nice was seeing Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) embrace his academic-side and in the process turned into a romantic lead more than ever before. Plus, his encounter in the library with newcomer Anna (Malese Jow) was a nice way to help bring him further out of his shell and give him a journey of his own to embark upon. Propelling him on that journey was Alaric’s seemingly benign suggestion that Jeremy research the town’s history, which led to Jeremy’s discovery of his ancestor’s journal. Thus, meeting Anna turned out to be even more than fortune as she too had an ancestor with an all too revealing journal. I do not think I was never prouder and more surprised than when he recited the soliloquy about vampire lore: “Vampires are a metaphor for the demons of the day – the Union soldiers. I’ve read the stories myself. They talk about the enemy – the demons that attack at night. Allegorical vampires which is what it is. Creative expression during a very volatile time. I mean a country at war doesn’t want realism. They want fantasy. Thus, vampire fiction.” He may have been completely wrong, but his analysis was cool.

It was also interesting to see Stefan and Bonnie (Katerina Graham) work together; first, to try to locate Elena using the necklace as a locator-stone; and then later, when Stefan came to Bonnie’s rescue when she fell into the underground crypt. While I did not quite get the necessity of the “face your fear” stuff espoused by Bonnie’s grandmother (Jasmine Guy), it was fun watching her face off against Stefan.

Also well done was the final confrontation between Elena and Stefan when she demanded, “What am I to you? Who am I to you?” and Stefan begrudgingly admitted that he had saved her that fateful day when her parents died and he had been struck by how much she looked like Katherine. His further revelation that she was adopted was even more shocking and well-delivered. Who saw THAT coming?!

What Didn’t Work

As a die-hard “Firefly” fan and someone who has tremendous love for Gina Torres, I really could not stand the storyline involving her character Bree and Ben (Sean Faris), Lexie’s (Arielle Kebbel) vengeful boyfriend. It felt forced, contrived and kind of nonsensical; additionally, the flimsy way in which they attempted to kill Damon was not believable. For a series that consistently strives for and usually provides the best drama on television, this was a huge surprise and a letdown. They should have taken their time to build up the capture of Damon and gave us a chance to get to know the man that stole Lexie’s heart, and in the process, a little bit more about Bree. Without any emotional connection, Bree’s ultimate (and grisly) death felt meaningless; and we did not care one bit about Lexie’s boyfriend as he wandered tearfully away. When Bree had initially first uttered the ominous words, “You’ll never believe who just walked into my bar,” I had such higher hopes of an epic villain battle. It was not to be. Since Ben is not yet dead, we can only hope that he will still play a part in a future battle.

The one redeeming thing about Ben was the line he tossed at Elena, “If you want to be with someone forever, you have to live forever.” This is a nice bit of foreshadowing of the ultimate choice Elena will one day have to face. It is the disease that will eat away at any relationship she has with Stefan. Will she commit her life to a vampire as a human or will she cave and become a vampire to be with him forever?

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘Bloodlines’ teleplay by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, story by Sean Reycraft, and directed by David Barrett. ‘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 and Marguerite MacIntyre. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Review of ‘Heroes’ – Pass/Fail

Since when did super-villain Sylar turn out to be the fairy-godmother of the story? The time continuum must be cracked with this trip down the rabbit hole

With promos showing the infamous kiss between Sylar (Zachary Quinto) and Claire (Hayden Panettiere) teasing us of a possible romantic hook-up, it was with relief that the episode revealed to be a bit more benign in reality. Sylar this entire season has been the biggest wild-card. A notorious villain who has been traditionally out for himself, his incarceration in Matt Parkman’s (Greg Grunberg) head has seemed to have left a residual imprint on his personality. For once reunited with his body, his ability to kill seemed handicapped. He still has the desire to kill, but he could not actually go through with it. So after being shown the ink-vision of Claire after replicating Lydia’s (Dawn Olivieri) ability, Sylar set off to find out why the ink-vision had shown Claire as his true desire.

When we saw him sit down next to Gretchen (Madeline Zima) in the cafeteria, our worst fears leapt into our minds. The mere “Excuse me, is this seat taken?” was enough to send shivers of dread down our spines. Thus, with those few ominous words ringing in our ears, the scene was set for us to believe that the worst had happened: Sylar had kidnapped Gretchen in order to coerce Claire to do his bidding.

Sylar had laid his trap well as he invited Claire to participate in his “study group” entitled: “Why Claire Bennett?” The resulting discussion and debate was hilarious and surprisingly insightful. When Claire angrily asked, “What the hell are you doing here?” Sylar calmly replied, “I came to learn . . . I’m a little off my game and you’re going to help me get it back. . . They told me I need a connection – a friend – I don’t want to be alone and somehow you’re supposed to help me.” This was rather discerning of Sylar who has never been one to engage in soul-searching prior to this point. Clearly, he had really put some thought into the issue at hand by illustrating that they have a lot in common, such as: they are both adopted, they were then abandoned, they have parents who did not understand them, they have cold-blooded killers for fathers, and they cannot be killed; and these commonalities were formulative in creating them from the same building blocks. Thus, when he wondered, “How did we end up so different?” Claire simply retorted, “You want to know what the difference is? You’re a psychopath.”

Not believing that this was an actual factor and in order to glean further information, Sylar opted to instead utilize another ability he had picked up from Lydia and simply bent over to kiss Claire humorously saying, “Oh what the hell – it is college after all?” This allowed him to see even further into her psyche to understand her motivations and desires. Afterwards, he continued his prodding by observing, “We are exactly alike. You use this gift to build walls making it impossible to connect to another living person.” Sylar further explained that he saw all those moments ripe with subtext that Claire had when she was with Gretchen. Angry for the intrusion in her private thoughts and worried about Gretchen’s safety, Claire promptly rammed a pencil right through his eye and ran to save Gretchen.

But it was as Sylar planned and anticipated. He had baited his trap even more cleverly than we had foreseen. He simply shape-shifted so that Claire mistook him for Gretchen, allowing Claire to reveal even more of her intimate thoughts and feelings. It was only after watching Claire struggle to break through the self-imposed barriers separating her from someone she clearly cared about that Sylar noted with surprise, “Maybe that’s the answer: in order to become human again, [I have] to get ride of all [my] powers.” Thereafter, upon shape-shifting back to his self, Sylar said with a sly smile, “Now was that so hard? Like I said, I’ve had a little trouble being myself.”

It was revelations for everyone as Sylar learned more about himself and Claire learned the true extent of her feelings for Gretchen. Even more startling was seeing Sylar watching benevolently from afar as Claire declared her feelings for Gretchen. Since when did Sylar become the fairy-godmother of the story? And why is he looking for Matt Parkman – the man responsible for imprisoning him? Is this “new” Sylar a friend of foe?

What Worked

It was absolutely delightful seeing both Adam Monroe (David Anders) and Hiro’s father (George Takei) return for the Trial of Hiro (Masi Oka). Fortunately, this was not like the intense trial of Gauis Balter in “Battlestar Galactica.” The Trial of Hiro was more like an opportunity for Hiro to explain his actions of late. To justify his interference with the time-space continuum. Was it truly for the good of all in order to save others or was it merely a selfish and uncaring act motivated out of personal desires? Hiro tried to explain that the first time he had interfered at Samuel’s request that he had simply helped two people fall in love. But when rebutted with the argument that he thought his actions were justified as “long as no one gets hurt” and once confronted with Sylar, who had been brought in to testify how Hiro asked him to spare Charlie (Jayma Mays) in exchange for Hiro’s permission to kill anyone else, Hiro was forced to realize that saving Charlie was not for the heroic good – it was only for his good. Such a glaring crime caused Hiro to shame-facedly admit, “I made a deal with a villain and he double-crossed me” — referring to the bargain he had made with Samuel in order to rescue Charlie (Jayma Mayes) for a second time. Hiro tried to clarify further that he was “desperate for a meaningful legacy”; to make the world a better place for his family, his friends and for love. It was only once he made this realization and faced the truth that Hiro was then granted the right to redeem himself and die with honor – a fight to the death with Adam. It was a wonderful resolution for the crimes of Hiro.

This also provided a nice back-drop to Hiro’s battle with the brain tumor and the surgery to save his life. It was also a nice touch seeing Ando (James Kyson Lee) stand so faithfully outside his surgery room. As he so proudly exclaimed to Hiro, “You are a super-Hiro!” It was a particularly endearing and apt title.

What Didn’t Work

Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) doomed-from-the- start attempt to woo Vanessa (Kate Vernon) by creating her perfect dream-world. His clumsy attempts to rekindle their youthful passion with an illusion of utopia and with the added enticement of strawberry milkshakes was just not meant to be. For Vanessa wisely rejected the false dream-life offered. Enraged, Samuel destroyed it within seconds, allowing the earth to swallowing it all whole into a deep crevasse. This detour on the path to Samuel’s need for full annihilation seemed unnecessary. Surely, this tale could have been best shown in flashbacks or in a more condensed fashion. It did nothing to instill sympathy for Samuel and only made us wish that he was not so weak.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

‘Pass/Fail’ was written by Oliver Grigsby and directed by Michael Nankin. ‘Heroes’ stars Jack Coleman, Greg Grunberg, James Kyson Lee, Masi Oka, Hayden Panettiere, Cristine Rose, Milo Ventimiglia, Robert Knepper, Sendhil Ramamurthy, and Zachary Quinto. ‘Heroes’ airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Spotlight on Shiri Appleby

Debuting as a young child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Shiri Appleby established herself as the “it” girl for young ingénue roles with a comedic flair. She was precocious and her infectious smile lit up the screen. Then, as she took on more advanced roles in her teens and 20s, that same engaging smile and sparkling persona kept her steadily employed as a working actor. By the time she was 18 years old, she had made appearances on Santa Barbara, thirtysomething, Who’s the Boss, Knots Landing, Baywatch, 7th Heaven and Xena: Warrior Princess. Then, after brief appearances in the films Deal of a Lifetime and The Thirteenth Floor, Shiri scored the plum role as the lead in the teen sci-fi series Roswell.

In Roswell, Shiri played Liz Parker, a young woman whose life was changed forever after discovering aliens lived among us and who found herself irresistibly drawn to one of them. The series ran three tumultuous seasons, garnering rave reviews and a loyal fan base. During that same time period, Shiri continued to pursue film projects and co-starred in the acclaimed independent film A Time for Dancing, along side Larisa Oleynik.

After the cancellation of Roswell, Shiri was in constant demand working on 18 films over an 8 year period. Her film credits ranged from Swimfan with Erika Christensen to The Battle of Shaker Heights with Shia LaBeof and Charlie Wilson’s War with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. She also did a series of made for television films such as Darklight with Richard Burgi, Everything You Want with Nick Spano, Pizza My Heart with Eyal Podell (recently seen in the ABC sci-fi series Defying Gravity), Thrill of the Kill with Chris Potter, and To Love and Die with Ivan Sergei and Tim Matheson. Astoundingly, Shiri also found the time to squish in roles on two televisions series during the same time period. She appeared as the mistress of Campbell Scott in the little known J.J. Abrams series Six Degrees and as a young medical intern in the final season of ER.

In addition to her long film and television resume, Shiri appeared in three music videos for Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want To Be,” Sense Field’s “Save Yourself” and Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life,” along side Will Estes. Clearly, Shiri is a favorite in all celluloid arenas of entertainment for she has conquered television, film and music video!

Shiri is now appearing on the new CW series Life Unexpected which co-stars Britt Robertson, Kristoffer Polaha and Kerr Smith. Despite having not yet debuted, Life Unexpected is already a critical favorite, dubbed the next big hit series on the CW. Shiri plays Cate Cassidy, who finds herself reunited with her daughter who she had given up for adoption 15 years before. The show is a poignant look at a young woman who went in search of her birth parents and found an unexpected family. Playing to Shiri’s natural talents of an incandescent joy for life and a heart-warming enthusiasm that brings out the best of those around her, Life Unexpected will surely touch our hearts and remind us of the wonder of a family in search of love.

Life Unexpected debuts on the CW on Monday, January 18 at 9/8c, and then moves to Mondays at 8/7c on March 8, 2010.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/01/18/spotlight-on-shiri-appleby/

“Avatar” vs. “District 9″ – In a deeply divisive race, an argument as to why “District 9” deserves the Oscar for Best Picture more than “Avatar” (part 1)

Posing this very controversial argument, I want to share why “District 9” is more Oscar-worthy than the mega-hit “Avatar.”  Surely, the virtually unknown sci-fi film that was one of the few films to cross over the $200 million mark this past summer deserves a little attention – and as the Producers Guild’s nomination for Best Picture has proven, it is a worthy contender to watch out for during this award season.

 Cost v. Profits 

 Looking first at the numbers, money talks.  “District 9” cost only $30 million to make and then went on to make over $204 million in the world-wide box office ($115 domestically).  That is a return of 6 times what it cost to make.  Any way you look at it that is a phenomenal return on a mere $30 million investment; and with a prestigious PGA nomination and further DVD sales racking up, this profit margin will only continue to rise.

 As for “Avatar,” it cost $237 million to make, plus another $150 million for marketing, and has grossed over $1.6 billion world-wide to date.  That is not a bad return either. But it is only a profit margin of 4 times its cost.  However, given that “Avatar’s” resulting profit margin is over $1 billion, it is not a number to discount.  I cannot imagine that the investors for “Avatar” are displeased with such a modest return.

 So in the money game, both films are providing huge monetary profits for their investors, with “Avatar” edging out “District 9” due to its boffo box office sales.  But it can never be said that “District 9” did not do well, as it is one of a handful of films to ever cross the $200 million mark.

 Realism v. Fantasy

 Looking next at which film was more realistic, “District 9” is hands-down the winner in that category.  Taking a page right out of last year’s Oscar winner’s play-book, “District 9” was filmed in the actual slums of Chiawelo, Soweto in South Africa.  Not only did they film amongst the filth and degradation of the slums, it was filmed simultaneous to the attempted forced-relocation of the Abahlali baseMjondolo in District 6 in Cape Town, South Africa.  Thus, in an effort to make the film as realistic as possible, Neill Blomkamp and Peter Jackson literally filmed what was really occurring in Chiawelo and made a sci-fi film out of it.  They just used CGI aliens in the place of real people who were being relocated.  Thus, the story was a mirrored-reflection of the actual apartheid atrocities and discrimination that had been practiced in South Africa for over 45 years.

 Another element of realism that worked in “District 9’s” favor was its portrayal of the aliens, aka: prawns.  The prawns looked like giant bugs walking on two legs.  They did not speak English or any other human language, so there was a distinct language barrier.  They were also gritty, repulsive and overall disgusting.  These were not the humanoid creatures used to depict aliens in classic and modern sci-fi films.  The prawns looked ALIEN.  It was like having a colony of giant insects living amongst us.  No one wanted to be around them and it felt more natural to have them kept separate and secluded from the rest of the human race.  It was just unfortunate that their spaceship died while hovering right over Johannesburg and they had no where else to go.  Literally no one on Earth wanted them here.

 As for “Avatar,” it went the route of traditional sci-fi and opted to create a brand new world where everything was magnificent and glorious to behold.  Welcome to Pandora where there are mountains that float in the sky, trees grow as tall as skyscrapers, plants glow rainbow colors in the dark, dragons fly through the vast blue skies, and the humanoid inhabitants are a brilliant turquoise blue that stand nearly 10 feet tall.  Everything about this exotic paradise was meant to seduce us into their world and make us fall in love with it.  But it is simply too pretty.  Too good to be true.  It was a fictional world created purely out of CGI in order to fool the audience into thinking that there may just be such a fairy tale place that exists out in the universe.  But as any viewer perfectly knew watching the film, it was clearly not real.  You could simply not believe it.  The Na’vi were too tall, too blue and too pretty.

 In contrast, the slum-ridden background of “District 9” felt all too real.  We have seen just such places on Earth and know that they exist and avoid them at all costs.  This made it harder to distinguish that the prawns were not real, for they look exactly like a larger version of the cockroach you might find crawling out from a crack in your kitchen.

Micro-Story v. Epic Adventure

There was also the scope of the stories explored in “Avatar” and “District 9” that sets them apart. In “District 9,” the story was microscopically-focused on just a few characters: Wikus (the hapless government relocation agent), Christopher Johnson (the prawn that saved him), Wikus’s wife and Wikus’ father-in-law. It was a tale of how the average man got swept up in events beyond his control and how he inadvertently saved an alien race. He had no plan to do so, nor even a desire to do so. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and in order to survive, he was forced to help Christopher Johnson save his race. It was a very narrowly focused story on one man and one alien’s need to rely on each other to survive.

In “Avatar,” there was a larger cast, which comprised of Jake Sully (the marine grunt), Dr. Grace Augustine (the botanist), Trudy (the pilot), Norm (the anthropologist), Colonel Quaritch (the over-zealous Marine bully), Neytiri (the Na’vi princess) and a whole host of other Na’vi. Like in “District 9,” in “Avatar,” our hero was recruited to aid with the relocation of a foreign species in order to placate our own desires.

From the very first moment we saw Jake, we understood that he was in this for himself as he had been promised to have his legs fixed in exchange for taking his dead brother’s place in the avatar program to infiltrate the Na’vi. In “District 9,” Wikus was simply doing his job and, it was only after becoming exposed to a DNA-altering substance, that he became a man out for himself. In “Avatar,” that is all Jake ever was: out for himself. Jake wanted a new life and he used everyone around him to achieve it.

In “District 9,” the last thing Wikus wanted was a new life. He was perfectly content with his life and with being a part of the human race. Whereas Jake seemed to resent being human and, in the end, traded in his frail, puny-human body for the super-sized, Amazonian body of his avatar. In “District 9,” it was about pure survival: Wikus wanted to be human again, and Christopher Johnson wanted to survive to take his son home. In “Avatar,” Jake just wanted to preserve the avatar body and world he had come to love. In scope, “Avatar” was more ambitious. It had more characters, more lush beauty, more weaponry, more explosions, more big theoretical and political ideas to throw about. It was a kitchen-sink film, it had a lot of everything. But in “District 9,” they made do with what they had and kept it simple. It was a story about two men (well, one was a prawn) trying to survive and needing each other to do so. Wikus did not want to save anyone but himself and get back to his wife. Jake ended up striving to save an entire planet from foreign dominion and fighting back at corporate greed.

Try to sum up each film into one sentence and see what you come up with. I will bet that when you do this, you will see how much bigger in scope “Avatar” is than “District 9.” For, in “District 9,” a man was infected with a DNA-altering substance and he worked with an alien to find a cure, which may in turn provided a way for the aliens to return home. In “Avatar,” a man infiltrated an alien world in order to achieve a forced relocation and then became enamored with that life and turned on his human employers. But, in the end, it is simple: Wikus embraced the human-race and Jake rejected the human-race. Wikus wanted to just go home. Jake wanted to build a whole new home. In scope, “Avatar” took on a bigger story and overwhelmed us with its audacity. Whereas, “District 9” kept its story simple and sweet.

LINK to Part 2: http://thetvwatchtower.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/avatar-district-9-movies-oscars/

Spotlight on Olivia Williams

British actress Olivia Williams has become the go-to girl for roles demanding icy disdain covering up a tormented beating heart. Coming from a diverse theatrical background, Olivia began dabbling in the television/film arena in the early 1990’s. She first captured everyone’s attention in the role of Jane Fairfax in Jane Austen’s Emma in 1996, and after garnering rave reviews, moved quickly on to snag a pivotal role in Kevin Costner’s film The Postman in 1997. Those roles were quickly followed by roles as a lonely widow in Rushmore with Jason Schwartzman and Bruce Willis’ grieving wife in The Sixth Sense.

Over the next several years, she was cast regularly in British films such as Born Romantic with Craig Ferguson, The Body with Antonio Banderas, Lucky Break with Bill Nighy and Lennie James, The Heart of Me with Helen Bonham Carter and Paul Bettany, To Kill a King with Tim Roth and Dougray Scott and Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures. With such a diversified and preeminent list of roles and experiences at her disposal, Olivia took a stab at American film and appeared in X-Men: The Last Stand in an uncredited role as Dr. Moira MacTaggart. This lure to American film was short-lived and Olivia quickly returned to her roots in British film appearing in the dark drama Damage and the breezy adaptation Miss Austen Regrets based on the life of Jane Austen. (It is rather astounding that she has played both British greats Jane Austen and Agatha Christie.)

However, not one to stand still, Olivia continued to work on three films in 2008 and then rushed off to film the Oscar-predicted sensation An Education, appearing as the worldly-wise mentor for Carey Mulligan.

Somewhere in the midst of all this, Olivia caught Joss Whedon’s attention and he moved quickly to cast her as Adelle Dewitt in his new television show Dollhouse. Just as he has brilliantly done before, his casting choice was pitch-perfect. Olivia’s portrayal of Adelle Dewitt brought layers upon layers of complexity that cannot be written on a page. Just one quirk of an eyebrow or twitch of her lips and you can feel her raging anger and quest for vengeance more than any scene with overt dramatics could ever convey. She is able to harness all the deeper emotions and unleash them slowly so that the impact of them is felt acutely. The Dollhouse simply could not have been the Dollhouse without such a core and integral character and an actress who could channel that strength of will in the process. The duality built into the character demanded a caliber of performance that is rarely seen on primetime television and Olivia rose to that demand beautifully. Simply said, she is the Dollhouse. For when she is not on screen, her absence is keenly felt.

Despite the cancellation of Dollhouse, it is easy to foresee that Olivia will not be idle in its absence and we will be lucky to have her continue to grace us with her presence for many years to come. Long live Olivia and her masterful and mesmerizing performances!

Dollhouse airs Friday nights on Fox at 9/8c and will conclude its series run on January 22, 2010.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/01/15/spotlight-on-olivia-williams/

Spotlighting a few select 2010 Golden Golden Nominees

Julianna Margulies –

 Continuing a red-hot streak of accolades for her performance as Alicia Florrick, the wife of a state attorney accused of corruption turned junior litigator at a prestigious law firm in the series “The Good Wife,” Julianna Margulies received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama. For anyone who saw the pilot episode, or any episode since, this comes as no surprise. Not only has the show become a break-out success with an average of 14 million viewers, it managed to crack the Top 10 of the most watched shows for 2009. It is Julianna’s electrifying and finely nuanced performance combined with a cracker-jack twisty backstory that keeps the viewers glued to their screens. Competing against last year’s winner Anna Paquin (“True Blood”), two time Emmy winner Glenn Close (“Damages”), cult favorite January Jones (“Mad Men”) and fan favorite Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”), this is a highly competitive category and Julianna is the dark-horse contender.

 Simon Baker –

 Receiving his second Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Patrick Jane in the series “The Mentalist,” and on the heels of his Emmy nomination for the same role, Simon Baker is once again being recognized for his outstanding performance with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama. Simon’s performance is credited for launching “The Mentalist” on to the Nielsen Top 10 for 2008, ranking at #5 behind the reality series juggernauts “American Idol” and “Dancing With the Stars,” and ranking #1 of all scripted shows in 2008. The combination of devil-may-care façade concealing the boiling rage beneath is riveting and keeps the viewers guessing as to when all those suppressed emotions will erupt. Besides the complex duality, it is a pure joy to watch the impish glee with which he unmasks criminals and foils their devious plots. However, despite the overwhelming mass popularity, Simon remains a long-shot in this category due to the steep competition: Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), Hugh Laurie (“House”), and Bill Paxton (“Big Love”).

 Courteney Cox –

 Long time television favorite, Courteney Cox received her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series- Musical or Comedy for her zany, but lovable portrayal of Jules Cobb in the series “Cougar Town.” While a regular Emmy nominee and winner for her performance on the series “Friends,” Courteney has worked hard to capture the attention and love of her fan base once again. It is her undaunted approach to physical comedy and willingness to do anything for a laugh that stands out. If there is a word for her performance it is “fearless.” That courage is what draws us to empathize and root for her. Alas, she is also facing tough competition from Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”), Toni Collette (“United States of Tara”) and break-out star Lea Michele (“Glee”).

 “Modern Family” –

 Right in the midst of its extraordinary freshman year, “Modern Family” nabbed a surprise Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Literally one day after the L.A. Times deemed it “overrated,” the nomination was a wonderful affirmation of “Modern Family’s” ingenuity and outrageous comedy — and best yet, nicely emphasized the LA Times’ clearly erroneous assessment. Adored by the mass television audience and raved about by virtually all of the television critics in an era where family comedy was thought to be on the decline, “Modern Family” has delighted in proving this misguided belief wrong. Its unique documentary-style story-telling and hair-raisingly funny situation comedy has nailed the top tier of comedic television. It also showcases the wide-range and array of talent brought by its cast and writers, which blend beautifully together to bring us thirty minutes of primetime joy with each new episode. However, despite its superior comedic offerings, it too is in a tense category with competition from “30 Rock,” “Entourage,” “The Office” and the other break-out favorite “Glee.”