Michael Ealy Previews the New Buddy-Cop Series COMMON LAW

Michael Ealy

USA Network has a proven track record for packaging shows that sell characters. They have figured out that successful shows depend on characters that audiences will be attracted to, fascinating with and who draw them in to their stories each week. The latest offering is the new cop-buddy drama COMMON LAW starring Michael Ealy and Warren Cole, where they portray bantering partners Travis Marks and Wes Mitchell. After an incident where Wes pulls his gun on Travis after Travis fails to apologize, they have been ordered to participate in “couple’s counseling.” The thought is that it is through counseling that they will learn to be better professional partners that have each other’s backs and not so busy fighting with each other that they are failing to protect and to serve the community around them. In a recent press conference call, co-star Michael Ealy candidly talked about the new show and his character Travis.

What do you think the most interesting or entertaining part about your character, Travis, is?
MICHAEL: I would say one of the more interesting parts about Travis is his fear of commitment and abandonment. Those two make him a little bit more complex than he seems. So it was more interesting and fun to play him, because there were more layers than just what we see on the surface.

What is it that you look for when picking a role?
MICHAEL: Good question. For me, I’ve always wanted to play a role which impacts. If you look at a show like SLEEPER CELL, obviously Darwyn was the first African American FBI agent who was a Muslim, who infiltrated a terrorist cell, but his father was a Black Panther. It had so many layers and it was such a powerful show that was so timely when it happened that, ultimately for me, the role and the show just resonated with impact – and that’s what’s important to me. THE GOOD WIFE, it was important for me to step into a successful show, clearly, and play such a pivotal character. I didn’t come in as an associate. I came in as someone who was responsible for acquiring a firm in a merger and that was important. He shook things up in that office and that was important to me. So at the end of the day, it’s the same thing with COMMON LAW. For me, Travis, who’s a major part of this show and he is a part of the unit, I think ultimately he was a cop, but he is also a detective. He’s a hardnosed detective, but also has a lot of heart and he knows how to deal with people. And he is one of the most likeable characters I’ve ever played.

“Common Law”

It’s interesting to see all of his different run-ins with people he’s dated, just at work.
MICHAEL: Yes, I mean his dating life is so much more fascinating than mine. And he just a lot of that stems from, again, both his fear of abandonment and his fear of commitment, so kind of a Catch-22 with him. It really is. It’s so much more fun to play.

Between you and Warren, you both have a really great rapport on the show and you’re very funny. Did that come easy to the two of you? Did you kind of instantly click or did you have to work at that?
MICHAEL: I hate to say it. Yes, it came easy. We didn’t go on like a retreat, anything like that. We didn’t go play basketball for a week or anything. I mean we had nothing in common other than we were both from the Eastern Maryland-Virginia area, and we were both Redskins fans — it’s not like we went to a game together and hung out. We just clicked. I think there’s a certain connection that we both have to the material and our respective roles that end up somehow lining up perfectly and we just clicked. Hats off to USA Network for casting both of us together and recognizing the chemistry in the room, because it was a long process to find the character of Wes and to find the actor to play the character of Wes. And Warren and I, it was just easy. I don’t know how to explain it any other way. It just kind of happened. And so, yes, hats off to USA Network for that.

Was it an adjustment for you to be this funny, because usually your roles are so intense and serious. Was it an adjustment for you as an actor to be funny?
MICHAEL: It was an adjustment for me. Thank you for noticing. Two years ago I decided to diversify my body of work and it was important to try other genres. I did “Underworld.” I got into the sci-fi. I did “Think Like A Man,” I got into romantic comedy. And then COMMON LAW came along and it was an opportunity for me to broaden body of work in television because I pretty much done mostly drama in television. So it was a big challenge for me and the idea that [the role] was given to me is false. I had to audition for this role. I had to show the network and the studio that I could do comedy because no one really thought of me as funny, because I hadn’t shown it, really, in TV or film. So it was a job that I was actually able to earn and I’m proud of that. And the comedy has made it the most difficult job I’ve ever had. Because being funny five days a week for 15 hours is the most difficult thing anyone could ever ask of anyone. It’s so hard. It’s harder than any other job I’ve ever had. So I’m thrilled that you noticed. I’m thrilled that you thought I was funny. And hopefully people will begin to open their eyes and see that I have some range if given the opportunity I can show that.

Was there anything particular you had to in the audition process to show that you could be funny and you weren’t just intense?
MICHAEL: Well the good thing about the audition process, and I credit John Trove a lot for this, is the audition scene, at the end of the scene he said, “Feel free to continue.”
So I just improvised or I made up a story or I just kept it going. And I think a lot of that helped kind of sell the funny.

What do you find the most challenging about the role?
MICHAEL: I find that dealing, like for me, the most challenging thing was trying to play Travis’s fear of abandonment and his fear of commitment, trying to play it like a Travis way. And that’ll make more sense at the end of the season. But it’s does have some issues and those issues come out in therapy. It’s so hard to be vulnerable, especially when you’re a tough detective. But this show is about character. It’s about the characters and Travis has to open up and I think that was probably the most challenging, is to have those issues kind of just under the surface of every decision that he makes.

What’s it like as an actor to explore a character’s flaws directly in the story through therapy?
MICHAEL: Eye opening. I never thought therapy was for me despite maybe 80% of my actor friends do live in therapy. I never thought therapy was for me. I never really saw the value in couple’s therapy or any kind of therapy, personally, unless under duress or something like that. But I think that discovering Travis’s flaws or his weaknesses or whatever his issues are with his childhood and growing up in the foster care system, to discover them through the course of all these couple’s counseling sessions, it was eye opening to me. And ultimately, it had opened my eyes to therapy, and the value of it. I was under the assumption that therapy was you sat on a couch and somebody tells you what to think and how you’re all messed up. But it’s the complete opposite of that. And you kind of talk and talk and talk and they ask questions that make you talk. And ultimately you’re kind of able to see for yourself where you’re going wrong. So it was interesting and helpful, but definitely eye opening.

Since Travis and Wes are at odds with each other, how do you think the confrontation helps them on the job?
MICHAEL: Good question. I think both of them have pretty healthy egos. I think the confrontation grew competition. And anybody who has a job, including probably his other coworkers, Travis has an ongoing thing that he’s constantly competing for the attention of the captain. So it just kind of makes it fun, but at the same time, it does lead to them not getting along. They see things differently from time to time.

“Common Law”

What kind of research went into doing this role initially? Did you talk to any cops or therapists or people that have been doing couple’s therapy?
MICHAEL: We had a consultant with an LAPD detective, 25 years as a detective, who gave us all kinds of help and insight and he’s very helpful in helping us understand the difference between what a detective does and what a police officer does. Also the fun part of the research though was going back into the archives and watching all the great funny top comedies, action comedies, party comedies, from “Trading Places” to “Stir Crazy” to “Lethal Weapon” to “Bad Boyz” to “48 Hours.” It was non-couple’s. That was probably the most fun that I had in terms of research because that enabled me to grasp the funny. It enabled me to grasp the rhythm of funny and how you’ve got to keep the tempo up as an actor. You cannot get sluggish with the dialogue, because that’s not comedy. And as far as therapy is concerned I went in like a blank sheet of paper. I had no knowledge of therapy. I had my own hang-ups with therapy and I used that as like Travis’s hang-ups with therapy.

In the pilot and the first thing that we see is the two of you are sitting there and Travis volunteered to share. You’re not in a partnership, but everybody else is sitting there thinking that you guys are together. Where do you guys go from there?
MICHAEL: I think from the very first scene we’ve established that these two guys are drastically different. But it’s a big roller coaster from there. I mean to really answer your question the therapy sequences, and I didn’t know this when you shot the pilot, but the therapy sequences, and I learned this while we shot it the first week, it really does become the great chorus of the show. And ultimately it’s one big roller coaster for these guys and its therapy begins to affect the way in which they solve cases. And that just becomes a whole different monster. And I can’t wait for people to really see those episodes, you know? And the way that Travis is in that first scene, he doesn’t want to be there, but the therapist is hot, and that’s all he needs to put a smile on his face. You can’t go home with him. You’ve got a hot therapist. . . I must say as I said before, this show has opened me up to the possibly of couple’s counseling at some point down the line if I ever need it. But it wouldn’t hurt to have a hot therapist. It makes the hours go by a lot quicker. . . What I can tell you is Travis is pretty consistent. At a certain point we just had, like when you live in this character for 15 hours a day, 5 days a week the structure starts to come naturally. It really does. It just starts to come naturally and that was the joy of shooting this show, was I never really got out of character. So being consistent was somewhat easy. I can’t wait for you to see other episodes. I really do.

USA Network is really becoming known for its dynamic duos with shows like WHITE COLLAR and PSYCH. Can you talk a little bit more about your duo that you’re now a part of? For example, like what makes you two work so well together even at the height of their dysfunction or anger with each other?
MICHAEL: I think, I’ve got to say it’s a deep, dark USA Network secret. Chemistry is key. Chemistry is key, and I think the chemistry is what really makes the show. It just does. Even when we’re like at each other’s throats, if you’re still rooting for us, that is the USA way. So I don’t know how it happens, but somehow when you see the final product, I works. God bless them.

“Common Law”

In the pilot, it mentioned that Travis went through 18 foster homes. With this kind of background, what was your entry point into playing that aspect of him as an adult?
MICHAEL: The first thing you do as an actor when you start preparing for a role is figure out the character’s background. And one of the things that I do is work real closely with the producers in determining what was Travis’ background. And obviously the 18 foster homes was crucial. And one of the things that was explained to me is that we’re going to meet a lot of Travis’ foster family members, and that was just beyond exciting for me. Because I’ve never seen a character like that. I’ve never seen a character with that many mothers. I’ve never seen a character with so many brothers. And the scene with Money, his Samoan brother, that’s just one small portion of his childhood. And it makes for a much more interesting character, I think, to come from so many diverse backgrounds. The amount of languages that he understands and you might not be able to speak them all, but you can understand them because he was there long enough. All of that, to me, makes for a much more interesting, complex and compelling, but also lovable character.

What’s it like working with the amazing Jack McGee, Sonya Walger and Andrea Parker?
MICHAEL: Let me start off with Jack, because he is the king. Jazzy Jack is what I like to call him. He was a phenomenal cast mate and friend and brother to have on this journey because his seniority, his life story, all of that weighs heavily into who the captain is and who Jack is as a person, and his ability to have the set in shear hysterics in every scene that he does. I mean he just has everybody laughing, off camera and on camera, the outtakes of Jack are phenomenal. So I really as the lead of the show, I really, really enjoyed having him as kind of the senior guy. You know, he was Pops. He was the one who we kind of went to as our father figure. Really, we did, both on an off the show, and off camera. And Sonya Walger, words cannot express how I feel about this woman. This is our third project together. And I take pride in the fact that I was instrumental in her being on the show. She is a force to be reckoned with and she brought a certain amount of credibility and strength to this character these derelicts need baggage in their lives. So she helped give us balance and that was so refreshing. And then Andrea Parker, I mean Andy, that’s my girl. I mean she was just on fire in the pilot. She really was. So I hope to work with her again.

Sonya Walger as Dr. Ryanx

Can you share anything that Travis and Wes get into later on in the season in their therapy sessions?
MICHAEL: Sure. Ultimately, like I’ve said before, the therapy sessions really become kind of like the Greek chorus of the show, and we begin to work on our cases with whatever therapy is going on in our heads. Whatever therapy lessons are going on in our heads, and so that to me is the biggest impact of therapy on these guys later on in the season. And I feel like as far as the other cast mates in therapy, they’re very helpful in helping us kind of find our way. And there are times when we all team up on Wes, and it’s hilarious. And they end up there’s times when we have to choose sides, which is one couple. You have to choose a side and it just gets a little funny. It gets kind of funny, but it’s probably what people are thinking when actual couple’s counseling sessions that they just can’t say. But on this show we just blurt stuff out.

Can you talk about any of the guest stars we can see this season?
MICHAEL: Yes. Greg Germann. Henry Simmons, and Ed Begley Jr. Oh my goodness, and I think it’s later in the season, but he is a scene stealer. He just comes in and just blows us away — I mean we were laughing so hard. I am good at not breaking, when somebody does something funny. I was really good at it, but Ed Begley Jr. had me break up many times, to the point I felt terrible because I was ruining takes. And he is so funny.
Other guest stars, Jeff Fahey. Jamie Hector. Yes, that’s just to name a few right now. So those are some of the guest stars.

Can you share something funny that happened backstage, whether it was a prank or an out take or just something that’s fun?
MICHAEL: Yes. It’s been a minute. Let me think. Okay, one thing. Oh, goodness. I don’t know the name of song. . . . Oh my goodness. It’s a great song. I can’t remember the name of it. I’m sorry. This is one of the things that Warren and I like to do is dance, and sometimes we would make routines up and you know we were sitting in the precinct for so long that we were just the crew was getting a little tired so we try to perk them up with a dance or two. And whether it was a Kid and Play dance or we would do all kinds of like, I don’t know how to explain. It’s just silly dancing on set. And I remember one take we were in the midst of, we were in the middle of the take and we had the camera operator ring up that song that I tried to express to you and I can’t remember the name of it. But he had that ring on his iPhone and in the middle of the take, we had him play he song. And we both played it off like, “What is that? What is that?” And then all of a sudden it was like a flash mob. We just started dancing through the song. So it was fantastic. And that’s the kind of silly stuff that we would do with to have fun on set sometimes.

To see what comedic adventures Travis and Wes have, be sure to check out COMMON LAW which premiers on Friday, May 11th, at 10 p.m. on USA Network.

Where to find this article:

 

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/11/michael-ealy-previews-his-new-buddy-cop-series-common-law/

 

 

“Common Law”

Review of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – ‘The Departed’

Elena’s Choice: In Life and In Death

Ever since the very first moment in the series, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES has been Elena’s story. It is through her eyes that we see the world around her shift as everything she thought she knew fell away and she discovered a whole new world of possibilities. Losing her parents that fateful day on Wickery Bridge forced her grow up faster and it introduced her to the one person who would change everything for her: Stefan. She did not know initially that he was the one who rescued her from the sinking car that claimed her parents’ lives. But she felt an instant connection with him when he showed up at school that next year. From the moment he introduced himself, Elena was lost. She may not have remembered Stefan, but every cell in her body remembered him. He was her savior. He was the one who saved her life and made her life possible. Some call it muscle-memory, others call it the subconscious mind. But something in Elena’s soul rejoiced when she finally met Stefan. Yet with every blessing comes a price. Meeting and knowing Stefan, meant entering and accepting his world — the vampire world — a world where supernatural beings fought deadly battles and Elena was the prize. She was the doppelgänger and her destiny meant she could be the harbinger of death or salvation for vampires. Stefan may not have realized it when he saved her life that fateful day. He just saved a young girl that looked the spitting image of a woman he had once known and loved. Elena’s innocence and beauty beckoned him. She was as irresistible and intoxicating. And so began the grand love of Stefan and Elena.

But it was not until this episode that we found out the other half of the story: Elena’s story. She had not met just one Salvatore that night her parents died — that was the night she met Damon as well. Like his brother, Damon felt the pull to return to Mystic Falls and it is remarkable that he returned the same night Stefan did. Interestingly, Damon was lying in the road (waiting for a sign perhaps) and Elena walked up. Elena may not have any memory of that remarkable first meeting, but it left an imprint on her soul. Just like when Stefan touched her life irrevocably when he saved her from the sinking car, Damon touched Elena by granting her one wish: a love that burns within her like a raging fire.

Mind compulsion is a powerful tool, but as we have seen time and time again, it does not last forever. It does not completely erase the memories that were imprinted. It just covers them up for awhile. What brings those hibernating memories to the surface are two things, compulsion and vampirism. With Elena having been injected with vampire blood by Dr. Fell for her head injury, Elena died and reawakened as a vampire. She will now remember all those memories that Damon compelled away. She will remember that she met him first — before the car accident where Stefan saved her. She will also remember that time when Damon stole a kiss from her and then erased her memory of it. All those powerful moments and memories will rise to the surface and Elena will finally understand WHY she has been so drawn to Damon all these years, even when she was in love with Stefan. She did meet Damon first and his compulsion that she seek a love that burns within her has tugged at her heart every moment she was around him. The mind may not remember yet, but her body did.

Elena was not just cursed with being the doppelgänger and having the blood to set Klaus free from his curse and the blood to create more hybrids, Elena has been cursed to love two men. She has been torn and conflicted and not sure why Stefan and Damon had such a claim on her heart. But now we see and understand, as she will: fate had thrown a wrinkle into her life that fateful day. It claimed two lives — Elena’s parents — and gave her two to replace them in a way: Damon and Stefan. One would nurture her and one would push her, but both would protect her. One shudders to think of the Salvatore brothers as surrogate parents for Elena, but they certainly filled a gaping hole in her life. Elena was of an age when she did not need parents as much as she needed companionship and guidance; and Stefan and Damon have been there every step of the way for the past two years of her life.

So as we watched her struggle over her conflicted feelings for the two brothers, wrestling with her heart and her mind, we understood the difficult choice before her. Why should she have to choose only one, when she needed and wanted both in her life? But in the immortal words of her wise mother, Elena needed to let one of the brothers go, to be free. It was wrong to hold one captive just because she did not want to choose.

In matters of life and death, Elena has never hesitated: she would always sacrifice herself to keep her friends and family for harm. But in matters of the heart, she shied away from any painful decisions. She wanted to keep both Stefan and Damon, and we kind of hoped that she could too. Yet in the end, Elena saw that she was only inflicting pain with her indecision and was finally forced to make a choice — and she chose Stefan.

But here’s the real twist: she chose Stefan based on what she knew at the time she made the choice. It was but only moments later that Elena found herself reliving that terrifying night all over again. But this time, she would not be saved by Stefan. In fact, when Elena saw him, she waved him away. She wanted Stefan to save Matt, this time. She would sacrifice herself to save her friend. But in doing so, she unknowingly shed her humanity and became the one thing she never wanted: a vampire. And her memories of Damon will be raised to the surface of her memory and her decision will be undone. For how could she choose Stefan when she now knows that she met Damon first and the wish he granted her: a love that burns within her? Whatever Elena may feel for Stefan, it is not a burning desire. She admitted as much to Matt. No, for the past two years, Stefan has been the safe choice — the one who made Elena feel safe and secure. All those raging, burning emotions have been kept hidden within her heart and only recently had Elena begun to acknowledge that Damon was the one who brought those feelings out. So with knowledge of her prior connection to Damon, Elena is more than likely to choose again — and it will be a different choice. For Elena is not just a young, teenage girl anymore; she is a vampire and all her emotions will be heightened. Thus, that burning passion for Damon will be magnified. The human Elena, who had no memories of meeting Damon before Stefan, is gone. It will be fascinating to meet this new Elena, one who must live a new life and with new choices laid out before her. She won’t need protecting anymore; she will be able to protect herself. Suddenly on equal footing, will she choose the safe choice, or will she embrace her hidden desires? Suddenly the 4th season feels a long way away!

Points of Interest

1. It was lovely to Aunt Jenna again, if only in flashback memories. The loss of Jenna is still keenly felt; especially now that Alaric is gone too. Though in theory, both could be hovering nearby if Jeremy chose to use his ghost-whispering skills more often.

2. How awesome was it that Elijah made a reappearance?! Though we’re still not sure that inviting him in the Gilbert house was the safest thing to do. But now that Elena has died again, perhaps Elijah will have to seek Jeremy’s permission to enter in the future.

3. With Alaric gone and living on the other side, I’m assuming that Sheriff Forbes and Mayor Lockwood will be quickly reinstated to their positions and that the Town Council will let them be and that no more talks of bringing Dr. Fell up with the medical board arise. Our heroes need their faithful friends and allies in critical places to keep their activities off the general populace’s radar and to prevent widespread panic.

4. Loved it when Damon complained to Bonnie, “I’m not half way out of Virginia and Elena sells our souls to the Originals?” and Bonnie replied, “It was her call.” To which Damon responded, “You know what else is her call, everything bad — ever.”

What Worked

Where to begin?! This episode was jam-packed with so much. There was the Tyler/Caroline moments; the Elena-Stefan-Damon love triangle; Damon saving Rebekah; Matt and Jeremy attempting to save Elena by getting her out of town; Alaric’s goodbye to Jeremy; and Bonnie’s clever little switcharoo with Klaus. Okay, that’s a great starting point: Klaus.

It felt so anti-climatic when Alaric staked Klaus and his body burst into flames. There was none of the usual whispered, blistering insults that Klaus had grown famous for. So it was such a relief to find out that Bonnie had saved everyone (well, Stefan, Damon, Caroline, Tyler and Bonnie’s mother) by transferring Klaus’ soul into Tyler’s body. But of all the body’s, why did it have to be Tyler’s? Was it to punish Klaus for tormenting Tyler? Was it so he would be more comfortable and at home in a hybrid vampire/werewolf? Or was it because Bonnie sensed that destiny had some how marked Caroline and Klaus in such a way that they were destined to be a part of each other’s lives in some way? It is mind-boggling to think about. But it also rather tragic. Did Bonnie create a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde situation where Klaus and Tyler must struggle within one body for control? Or is Tyler gone and only Klaus resides in Tyler’s body now? And how is Caroline going to feel once she finds out? Run, Bonnie, run!

So as relieving as it is that Klaus, our notoriously evil and deliciously bad villain is not gone for good, the ramifications of his continued presence occupying Tyler’s body is troubling. Will he still be a threat to Elena and the everyone else, or will Klaus finally learn to be a better man?

Whatever the circumstances, it was beautiful seeing how joyously and unhesitatingly Caroline chose to run away with Tyler — albeit after she conditioned it upon allowing her to help save her friends. When Tyler reminded her, “Stefan and Damon are going to whatever it takes to protect themselves. But this is our lives, so let me protect you,” Caroline simply smiled and said, “I will go anywhere with you, and if have to spend the rest of our lives running, I will run with you — but first I have to help our friends.” Caroline’s pure love has shone like a beacon throughout and it is what continues to draw such fine men like Matt and Tyler to her, and which tames wild beasts like Klaus. It would have been beautiful to have allowed Caroline and Tyler to have had their time on their own together and carefree for awhile. But then we would have missed them. The Klaus-aspect forces them to stay for awhile until that gets worked out.

Also applaud-worthy was Jeremy and Matt’s plotting to kidnap and save Elena. It almost worked too. But Alaric staking Klaus’ body changed the game for everyone. Even Matt could not deny Elena the right to see the one person she wanted to see more than anything before he died. So kudos to Jeremy and Matt for daring to take a risk at pissing Elena off and keeping her safe. It’s exactly what Damon would have done too. Which is exactly what Damon told Stefan when he snapped, “You just had to let her make the choice, didn’t you?” and Stefan exasperatedly asked, “What would you have done, Damon?” To which Damon retorted, “Grabbed her, gagged her, threw her in a well. I don’t know. Anything rather than let her trust Elijah.” Then when Stefan reminded him, “You know she’s just hate you for it, right?” Damon rationalized, “Yeah, but she’s be alive and she’d hate me. Thus the eternal difference between you and me.” Sometimes when you love someone, you don’t ask them what they want — especially if they have a martyr complex — you have to save their life for them. That kind of gumption and take-charge attitude previews two very strong men. Jeremy and Matt are certainly coming into their own, and deservedly so after being pushed aside so many times because they are only human. Only human does count for something. Humans die for each other every day — and it means more that they are willing to stand and fight without super-human abilities to protect them. Both Jeremy and Matt deserve good women in their lives too that appreciate their contribution and bravery. Dear Universe: make that happen!

Okay, okay, I know the Delena fans are dying to talk about it. Let’s just jump right in. As mentioned above, Elena’s choice may have been Stefan — but that was the human Elena; vampire Elena is certainly going to make a different choice. It was foreshadowed at great length in this episode. From the moment that Stefan returned and Elena greeted him with a hug, we saw the look of pain on Stefan’s face: he knew that she had not chosen him. Later when Stefan was saying his goodbye to her that same expression was there: Stefan knew by Elena’s own body language that she had chosen his brother. So he gave her one last passionate kiss goodbye, not because he was worried that he may not live, but because it was going to be his last chance to kiss her. So it was with sadness and regret when Stefan said, “That’s just in case there is no later.” Stefan even said as much to Damon when Damon called to let him know that Klaus was dead, “An hour is not enough time to get you all the way back to Mystic Falls.” Then as Damon wryly replied, “Us and our epic goodbye’s, Stefan?” Stefan softly said, “Not us, brother. You and Elena.” In a quiet heart-beat, realization began to dawn on Damon’s face, and he regretfully said, “Well, I guess you’ll have to say goodbye for the both of us, won’t you?”

For almost the entire episode, Damon acted like he had already lost. He could afford to be chivalrous and flirtatious with Rebekah; he could give up the fight with Alaric; and he would step aside to allow Stefan and Elena to be happy. He just never really believed that Elena would ever choose him over Stefan; and he was prepared to lose the girl — again. Just like Katherine always chose Stefan over him. Yet Stefan’s words gave him hope he dared not have before.

Whereas Stefan was there with Elena and could read the inflection in her voice, the difference in her body language, her distancing and reluctance to voice the choice of her heart. Stefan knew what Elena did not yet want to admit, that it was goodbye for them. Elena doesn’t want the safe option anymore. She’s curious to know what she feels for Damon; for she already knows what it is like to be with Stefan and she doesn’t burn with the same passion for him as she once did. She doesn’t crave safety and security, she wants to burn with uncontrollable desire. Whether she wants to admit it or not.

Thus, when Matt brought Elena tea and said, “So, Stefan?” Elena tried to rationalize why she should be with Stefan by explaining, “He saved my life, you know. I never told you that. The night that my parent’s car went off the bridge, Stefan was the one that saved me.” As Matt asked, “So you feel like you owe him or something?” Elena further explained, “No, it’s not that. It’s after the accident, I kind of felt like I didn’t know how to live anymore. Like I didn’t want to. But then being with Stefan, somehow I figured it out. And that’s what love should be. You should love the person that makes you glad that you’re alive.” It was a beautiful, rational speech, but her heart didn’t seem to be in it, so Matt again asked, “So then what’s the problem?” To which Elena sighed and admitted, “The problem is Damon. When I’m with him, it just consumes me. And I know that I can’t love them both. I know that it’s wrong, but I when I choose one, I’ll lose the other — and I don’t want to lose anyone else.” Elena wasn’t making a choice with her heart, she was choosing with her head. She was choosing the safe choice.

Later when Damon prodded her, “Since I’m possibly a dead man, can I ask you a question? . . . If it was down to just him and me and you had to make a choice, who got the goodbye? Who would it be?” Elena tried to rationalize her decision again by saying, “I love him, Damon. He came into my life at a time when I needed someone and I fell for him instantly. No matter what I feel for you, I never un-fell for him.” Damon with a heavy sigh then replied, “I get it. It was always going to be Stefan.” But this is when it got interesting, Elena conditioned her choice by saying, “I can’t think about always. I can only think about right now — and I care about you, Damon, which is why I have to let you go. Maybe if you and I had met first . . .” Unsure as to whether she was still offering him hope for the future, Damon noncommittally replied, “Maybe.”

The next thing we see is either Elena remembering as she is drowning or as Damon is being beaten to a bloody-pulp a memory from long ago. It was the night that Damon and Elena first met, and one or both of them was just beginning to remember it. It was a lost memory being remembered. The scene was beautiful and it certainly foreshadows what lies ahead for Damon and Elena next season.

Let’s enjoy it again and appreciate how significant it is: The scene opens with Damon lying on an empty street and as he rises he sees Elena. Not certain what he is seeing, Damon says, “Katherine?” To which the girl replies cautiously, “No, I’m Elena.” After a double-take, Damon admits, “Oh you just look, I’m sorry, you just really remind me of someone. I’m Damon.” As Elena flirtatiously responds, “Not to be rude or anything, Damon. But it’s kind of creepy that you’re out here in the middle of nowhere,” he playfully says, “You’re one to talk. You’re out here all by yourself.” With a sigh, Elena retorted, “It’s Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here.” But then she revealed, “I got into a fight with my boyfriend,” and when Damon inquired, “About what? May I ask?” She replied, “Life. Future. He’s got it all mapped out.” Then when Damon curiously asked, “You don’t want it?” Elena admitted, “I don’t know what I want.” This was the moment. This is the Elena we know all too well. Indecisive and afraid to let her heart go. So when Damon gently said, “Now that’s not true. You want what everybody wants.” This time Elena was the curious one when she teasingly asked, “What? A mysterious stranger who has all the answers?” To which Damon impishly replied, “Well, let’s just say I’ve been around a long time. I’ve learned a few things.” Opening the door a bit wider to the possibilities and promise of the future, Elena threw caution to the wind and dared to ask, “So, Damon, tell me: what is it that I want?” And he predicted, “You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger.” Not sure what to make to this prophecy, Elena turned the tables on him and asked, “So what do YOU want?” Alas, before he could really answer, their interlude was interrupted and Damon bestowed one last gift upon her as he wiped her memory and compelled her with, “I want you to get everything you’re looking for. But for right now, I want you to forget that this happened. Can’t have people knowing I’m in town yet. Goodnight, Elena.” Then he disappeared into the night.

At this point, Damon still had dreams of rescuing Katherine and living happily ever after with her. Damon did not yet know that he had met his soul-mate in Elena and that he had granted her wish by compelling her to seek a love that would promise her passion, adventure, a little danger, and a love that would consume her. He also did not know that he is brother Stefan would be the one to rescue Elena just minutes later and that all three of their lives would become intertwined to such a degree that they would do anything for each other. The love knot had just been tied and they did not know it yet.

So as we look back over this episode, it was all about Elena’s choice: who she chose to love and who she chose to save. Two years before, Elena did not get to choose who Stefan saved, and he saved her life over the lives of her parents. This time Elena wanted Stefan to save Matt and he did. Stefan will always acquiesce to Elena’s wishes for he values free-will above all else. Whereas, Damon would have not given a second thought to Matt’s life and would have saved Elena’s. Yet life changes again for Elena Gilbert. She was willing to die in Matt’s place knowing that she had saved him. But fate had other plans and Elena revived a vampire due to the blood in her system. Elena’s choice to save Matt changed her life and in doing so, it not only revived her body, it will reawaken her buried memories of meeting Damon that night long ago. Once she remembers that she did actually meet Damon first, as well as the wish he bestowed upon her, her destiny will finally be fulfilled. Because Elena won’t be human and subjected to her human fears and insecurities anymore; she’ll be free to choose a new choice for her new life; and this time, she’ll choose Damon. It is not only foreshadowed and promised, it is destined — and pity the fool that gets in the way of destiny!

It was a beautiful episode of love and loss. But it was really the bookend to Elena’s story. It began with a girl being rescued by a boy (albeit a vampire boy) and falling in love. Yet now, that story is done and it will now be about Elena’s journey as a vampire. Her choices of her former life won’t be enough anymore. It will be a time for new choices. So there’s hope for Damon and Elena yet. Their story is about to begin.

What Didn’t Work

Gosh, this is one of those rare episodes where everything worked phenomenally. No criticisms. Let’s just bite our nails and begin the long countdown to Season 4. Is it Fall yet?!

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“The Departed” written by Brett Matthews and Elisabeth R. Finch and directed by John Behring. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ stars Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Joseph Morgan, Steven R. McQueen, Candice Accola, Katerina Graham, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Matt Davis, Torrey Devitto, Claire Holt, Daniel Gillies. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Keith Carradine Relishes Every Second Being “Suspect Zero” in MISSING

Keith Carradine as Martin Newman on “Missing”

After last week’s jaw-dropping reveal that the criminal mastermind behind Michael’s abduction was his own godfather and former CIA director Martin Newman , it is hard to imagine what exactly Martin is up to.  With only two episodes left this season, the series promises to keep up its break-neck pace and throw as many more curveballs out as possible.  In an exclusive interview, co-star Keith Carradine took a few minutes to talk candidly about his surprising role and the fun he has had filming MISSING in the exotic locales of Eastern Europe.

We’re very excited about your role on MISSING!
KEITH:  It’s certainly a fun part.

After last week’s big reveal that Martin is “Suspect Zero,” can you finally talk about whether you knew all along or was it as big a surprise to you when you got the script?
KEITH:  Well, let’s just say I knew the basic premise.  I was given a sketch of my character’s background and his relationship with Becca, but I really wasn’t given the full details until I arrived in Prague, in the Czech Republic and I met with Gregory Poirier and Gina Matthews.  They said, “So we’ve been talking about whether to let you in on this or not.  We’ve decided to let you in.  Here’s the deal.”  So I did know all along, which I appreciated, because as an actor you like to be able to preview it behind the scenes as you go along.

Do you think at any point it was coloring your performance in how you reacted to the other characters, or were you just cautiously portraying your character?
KEITH:  Well, I think knowing who you are and what is behind what you are doing, that’s part of the fun of doing especially a show like this in this genre.  There are so many layers and there are so many secrets to be revealed, and so many secrets that people are keeping as they’re talking to one another.  That’s part of the fun as a performer — being able to layer that in underneath.  If the audience has an opportunity to go back and review these episodes again, they’d see all kinds of little clues. I mean, we all enjoyed it when we saw “The Sixth Sense.”  You saw that movie for the first time and you wanted to go back and see it again so that you could see all the little clues that sort of led you to where it was going. 

Ashley Judd and Keith Carradine (as Becca Winstone and her mentor Martin Newman)

It was a fun surprise!  Would you have preferred that Martin stay just being a retired CIA director writing spy novels, or do you just love the fact that he became a criminal mastermind?
KEITH:  Bad boys are fun.  We, as actors, most of us will admit that it’s more fun to play the villain; and this guy, it’s a very juicy part.  It’s very well written and the reveal is so deftly accomplished by Greg Poirier.  I think it’s an extremely well thought out bit of drama.

Is there anything you admire or like about Martin, or at this point are you kind of enjoying the fact that there’s nothing redeemable about him?
KEITH:  I admire his worldliness and I admire his accomplishments.  I mean, he’s a very accomplished man.  He’s led a rather extraordinary life.  The fact that he seems to have gone to the “dark side,” that did make him more interesting.  [Laughs]

So are we going to be surprised at who else he has recruited into his organization? Are there more surprises that reveal who might be working with him?
KEITH:  That’s a “stay tuned, ladies and gentleman.”  Yes, I think what is yet to be revealed be very interesting to the audience.

So there’s more big twists and turns out there for us?
KEITH:  Oh, yes. Absolutely!

For you, working on this 10-episode series, what was the most fun experience working on it?
KEITH:  For me, it’s all about the people.  I look at who’s involved.  It’s is hard work, granted, we did go to exotic places and the travel aspect was certainly very interesting and I’d never been to the Czech Republic before. I’ve worked in Europe over the years, but never worked in Eastern Europe.  I have been to Eastern Europe a couple of times when my wife was filming in Bulgaria, and I visited her there.  But it was my first experience filming in the Czech Republic and it’s a fascinating country.  Prague is a beautiful city and Istanbul was just fascinating.  But the bottom line is that when you have this much work to do and this much time to spend doing it, the only thing that really matters is the experience day-to-day and the people with whom you’re working with.  So that was the real upside for me.  It’s a terrific bunch of people.  We do these things and we never know.  We do our best and we hope it’s going to be good in the end, but sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn’t. In this particular case, the magic has worked beautifully.  But ultimately, all one takes away is the experience of having spent that time doing the work with that group of people.  So I would have to say that was the highlight for me — working with everyone involved. 

Martin Newman at Paul and Becca’s wedding

Assuming that they don’t kill off Martin, would you be up for coming back next season?
KEITH:  [Laughs] Well, we’ll have to see, won’t we!

So just speculating a bit, do you think Becca has been a complete thorn in Martin’s side, or did he kind of anticipate some of her maneuvers and kind of orchestrate some of that?
KEITH:  I think he adores her.  I think there’s a deep love there.  When he says, “You’re like a daughter to me,” it’s the truth.  And I think he takes great pride in having mentored her into becoming the extraordinary woman that she is, and the incredibly accomplished operative she was and apparently still is. So I think it’s a very complicated relationship.

But he didn’t mind kidnapping her son and putting her through that psychological torture?
KEITH:  Well, the psychological torture was probably out of Martin’s hands.  I would sort of abdicate responsibility for that.  You oversee a group, a company, and you can’t take complete responsibility for every decision made by your underlings when you’re not there overseeing it or managing.

So events may have gotten a little beyond the scope of his original plan?
KEITH:  I think Martin is venal, but I don’t think he’s necessarily cruel.

Okay, so what would you recommend that we pay close attention to with the final two episodes coming up?  What should fans be anticipating?
KEITH:  There is, obviously, a great deal to come  Becca and Paul are working towards escaping from Europe and finding Michael, and my relationship with Michael has yet to be fully fleshed out in terms of his perception of who I am.  I think that’s going to be fascinating.  And then you’ve got the actual full time operatives, Dax and his mission to try and unravel everything that has been taking place so far.  It should be very entertaining. And we do ultimately end up in Turkey, at some point.   Plus, who Violet turns out to be and how deeply she is involved in all this is absolutely going to be fascinating for the audience.

To see what kind of game Martin has been playing and who exactly is in on his nefarious plans, be sure to tune in for the penultimate episode of MISSING on Thursday, May 10th and the finale on May 17th at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.

Where to find this article:

 

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/10/suspect-zero-keith-carradine-missing-scoop/

 

 

“Missing”

Review of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – ‘Before Sunset’

So who is the big, bad villain now?

In a very twisty and somewhat twisted episode, it was a game of cat-and-mouse as Alaric tried to set a trap for Klaus while Klaus tried to turn the tables on him. As it stands now, Klaus lost, but Alaric did not necessarily win. Instead of Alaric vanquishing Klaus with the white oak stake, fulfilling his destiny under Esther’s plan, Stefan and Damon pulled a fast bait-and-switch and captured Klaus with the desiccation spell meant for Alaric. This proved the better option after everyone figured out that Elena and Alaric’s lives were blood-linked through Esther’s spell — which meant if Elena died, then Alaric died — and no one is quite sure if killing Alaric means it could kill Elena too.

With the octane cranked up and two evil foes circling each other, it is a wonder that everyone else did not simply get out of their way. But in a war between Alaric and Klaus, everyone is caught the crossfire. Alaric’s first move was to corner whoever showed up at the school and then use that person as bait and leverage to lure Klaus into his trap. Alaric’s plan was simple but effective. Yet, with Klaus aligned with our heroes, there were too many people to keep track of and even Alaric could not plan for every contingency. That same could be said for Klaus as the elaborate counter-plan to combat Alaric ended up working just as effectively against Klaus. The art of distraction and strike while your enemy is not looking has been used before, but it does work. Even the invincible Klaus was felled by a simple desiccation spell just because he was not paying attention. Gotta love it when a plan comes together like that!
So with Klaus claiming he sired the bloodline that created Stefan, Damon and Caroline, no one wanted to use the white oak stake on Klaus just in case he is their “grandfather” through the vampire bloodline. But stopping Klaus’ heart, putting him into a state of catatonic hibernation and dumping his body in the Atlantic, could conceivably keep him neutralized for a time. However, with one more episode left in this season, it is hard to imagine that Klaus has been completely sidelined; and with Alaric still on the loose, our heroes may need a trump-card to take down that incarnation of evil.

It just remains to be seen who will be the big, bad villain in the end. Will it be Klaus escaping the desiccation spell, or will it be Alaric who is amassing his own army by outing Carol Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes as vampire-sympathizers?

Points of Interest

1. The image of Klaus rotting away eternity “swimming with the fishes” is kind of poetic justice.

2. It was really fun to see how everyone decided to celebrate after Klaus was finally taken down. How great was it when Elena returned home to fine Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, Jeremy and Matt awaiting her with the greeting, “Welcome to our victory party!” Even with Elena’s cautious observation, “What victory? We failed. Alaric’s still out there,” it was still a significant achievement. So as they cheered to “A Klaus-free life,” we cheered along with them.

3. Another cheer-worthy moment was when Tyler came to save Elena, against Klaus’ explicit instructions and Klaus said, “So much for that sire bond” and Tyler announced, “I’m not your little bitch anymore.” Finally!

What Worked

Kudos to Matt Davis for another fine performance as he embraced Alaric’s evil side and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. When Alaric accosted Rebekah in the school hallway, she said with surprise, “You’re supposed to be dead.” To which he replied, “I am.” It sent chills down our spines as we knew what she did not, that Alaric could actually kill her.

Thus, it was super cool to see Caroline rush to save Rebekah, heedless of the risk to her own life. But moments later when Alaric caught up with Caroline in the parking lot, it was sad to see that Rebekah only stood there watching. Caroline had not hesitated to help Rebekah, yet Rebekah did nothing to help Caroline. It is our actions in the face of mortal danger that define us. Caroline knew what she was facing when she rushed to Rebekah’s aid, yet Rebekah could only watch and run away? It is any wonder that Klaus has fallen for Caroline and could care less when Rebekah told him to choose between his hybrids and her.

There was also a lovely moment embedded in the chaos after Elena helped Caroline escape and Caroline found herself in Klaus’ arms. As Klaus softly whispered, “It’s me. You’re safe now. We’ll save Elena. You go straight home and you stay inside. Do you understand?” It felt kind of breath-taking. It was no wonder that Caroline seemed dazed and disoriented at his heroic side of Klaus and could only breathlessly say, “Thank you.” Not only was Caroline rather surprised at this protective side of Klaus, so were we.

Returning to the diabolical Alaric, it was chilling and awesome simultaneously how much he scared the beegeebizes out of us. He not only walked right out in broad daylight without a protection ring, sizzling his face off, to snap Caroline’s neck and drag her back inside the school, when Elena finally came to offer herself in exchange for Caroline, he nearly laughed in her face. As Elena protested his failure to honor their deal, “You said you’d let her go,” Alaric snarled, “How many times do I have tell you, Elena? Stop trusting vampires!” Watching how cruelly and callously Alaric tortured Caroline with a vervain-drenched gag and pencils staked through her hands, we began to wonder if Klaus was actually the lesser of the two evils.

But Klaus and Alaric are vacillating between their hero/villain roles so rapidly, we are not sure who to trust anymore. For example, when Damon revived after having his neck snapped by Alaric, he curiously asked, “Why am I still alive?” To which Alaric retorted, “Get up! Klaus is going to kill Elena . . . Now do what you two do best, save Elena’s life.” Just moments before, Alaric was the prime target in their deadly take-down plan, but once they found out that Klaus had snatched Elena and was siphoning out all her blood in order to kill Alaric, the game changed in an instant and Alaric was suddenly aligned on the “hero” side because he wanted to save Elena’s life.

Everybody wants Elena: Klaus wants her blood to create his hybrid family/army; Alaric wants Elena because his life is now tied to hers; Damon and Stefan are in love with her; Matt will rush to her aid at the drop of a hat; Jeremy is her brother and will do anything to protect her; and even Tyler was willing to risk his life by trying to rescue her and defy Klaus. We understand the lure of being chivalrous and honorable as demonstrated by Matt, Jeremy and Tyler, as well as the more self-serving motivations of Alaric and Klaus, but the most fascinating motivation is love. Stefan and Damon are not seeking to protect and save Elena out of duty, honor, fear or a desire for power – they simply love her. Love is the most powerful emotion of all. It conquers fear and subdues anger. It is persuasive and intoxicating. We have seen how much it rules the hearts of those under its spell.

So with the biggest question of this season being: who Elena will choose to give her heart to — we remain riveted by the power of love. It even prompted Stefan to volunteer to accompany Klaus when he left town, assuming he was taking Elena with him. Yet even as Stefan proclaimed, “I’d turn my back on everything here to make sure Elena is safe,” Klaus tried to manipulate Stefan through his love for Elena by saying, “And that is what makes you her better option. It’s a shame that it’s not easier for Elena to see that. Personally, I think she’s wasting her time with Damon.” Seeing right through such an obvious ploy to drive a wedge between he and Damon, Stefan informed Klaus, “All this time you’ve spent trying to get my brother and I to hate each other, it’s actually had the opposite effect. . . . Damon and I have been through a hell of a lot worse than you.”

After failing to manipulate Stefan through his love for Elena, Klaus tried another tactic when he softly told Elena, “Stefan blames me for trying to tear him from his brother. But I think we both know who really came between them. You. That’s why you won’t choose. You know once you pick a Salvatore, you’ll destroy that bond. Consider this me doing you a favor. Once you’re dead, you won’t have to choose. No broken hearts. Their family stays intact. But between us girls, who would you have picked?” As Elena snapped, “Rot in hell,” Klaus smiled knowing his work was done. He then airily replied, “You’re welcome. Sweet dreams, Elena. It’s been fun.”

With one seed of doubt planted in Elena’s mind that she could be the source of further discord and the cause of irreparable damage to the bond between the brothers, Elena sadly explained to Damon and Stefan, “I know it’s selfish. I know it seems like I’m stringing you both along, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I mean, if I choose one of you, then I lose the other. But I’ve lost so many people, I just can’t bear the thought of losing one of you.” Even with Caroline reminding her, “You know that sooner or later you’re going to have to choose, right?” Elena hesitates. Love is both a blessing and curse. She is all too aware of the power of love and how it can be wielded for good and for evil. She does not want her love to be used as a weapon by Klaus to destroy the relationship between Stefan and Damon.

Whether Elena will have the strength and courage to make a choice remains to be seen. But whoever she choses, one thing is certain, Stefan and Damon’s bond as brothers will be as strong as ever. For, in the end, as Damon told Stefan, “All this over one girl,” and Stefan admitted, “She’s a pretty special girl.” To which Damon replied, “Yes, she is.” Elena may not be confident that her choice won’t destroy the brothers’ relationship, but they are. It was interesting to see that they recognized that a mortal girl will only live but a small amount of their lifetime and that the only relationship that will probably sustain the test of time will be their own.

What Didn’t Work

What was the point of summoning Abby to appear in person at the Salvatore mansion when all she had to offer was information about the desiccation spell that could have been obtained through a phone call? Phones are a much faster way of communicating, after all when they are racing against the clock.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“Before Sunset” story by Charlie Charbonneau and Daphne Miles with teleplay by Caroline Dries and directed by Chris Grismer.‘The Vampire Diaries’ stars Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Joseph Morgan, Steven R. McQueen, Candice Accola, Katerina Graham, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Matt Davis, Torrey Devitto, Claire Holt. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Previewing THE BIG BANG THEORY’s Fun-Filled 5th Season Finale

Because THE BIG BANG THEORY knows how to send its own show out with a big “bang,” for its 5th season finale it invited NASA astronaut Mike Massimino to make a special guest appearance. The timing was perfect. In the upcoming episode entitled “The Countdown Reflection,” Howard Wolowitz (played by Simon Helberg) is given the chance of a lifetime — to go into space. Assisting, coaching and a times heckling Howard, Mike Massimino plays himself and clearly has a ball in the process. Being one of the few men privileged enough to travel into space, Mike knows that no man – even one on the verge of getting married – can resist the temptation of outer space. The finale wrestles with the conflict of Howard as he is torn between the call to venture beyond Earth’s borders, and his own personal happiness with his intended bride Bernadette (Melissa Rauch). The tug-of-war of heart and happiness over fame and glory is powerful.

Bill Prady, Simon Helberg, NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino (Photo credit: © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

So as Howard struggles with balancing his equally tantalizing options and staying true to himself, his friends Leonard, Penny, Sheldon, Raj and Amy also weigh in on how to help Howard. Love clearly beckons, but with the shuttle launch approaching there is little time to prepare for a nuptial ceremony. With aplomb and good-humor, the show delivers a fun exploration of whether Howard can make all his dreams come true.

During a recent press interview, creator/producer Bill Prady, co-star Simon Helberg and NASA astronaut Mike Massimino talked about putting this momentous episode together. Mike was quick to point out that the show had gone to great lengths to make the shuttle capsule and space suits as accurate as possible, even the detail as to the limited size of the spacecraft and the conversations the characters had in the capsule echoed of real life. (For those interested in visiting, there is a replica of the Soyuz Capsule currently on display at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills, California.)

Mike further revealed that it is not uncommon for NASA to actually fly scientists into space to accompany their experiments, so the storyline in THE BIG BANG THEORY was not as far-fetched as one may believe. Mike also loved the warm camaraderie on set as it reminded him of how it actually feels to prepare for a real shuttle launch. It is not all about last minute checks, as astronauts are people too and they talk about all kinds of things when preparing for a launch. Mike then hilariously recounted how his wife had called last minute to ask “where are the kids science projects?” right before a launch. Life does not stop just because there is a launch scheduled and astronauts have to balance their personal lives and professional lives too.

Bill Prady, Simon Helberg, NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino (Photo credit: © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

As they talked about the experience of making this special episode, when queried, Simon admitted that he was loathe to complain during the filming any of the scenes in which Mike was in out of fear of being seen as weak compared to a man who has traveled into space. Though Simon confessed he was mightily relieved when Mike complained that the boards beneath them were mighty uncomfortable during their shuttle scenes and asked for a pillow. It was pillows for everyone after that, which made the long hours filming so confined a bit more tolerable. Mike said that it was the one thing he tried to emphasize to new space recruits: that they need to speak up. The most important thing in preparing for a launch and when working together is to communicate – it saves a lot of grief and could save lives.

So while the show strove to be as accurate as possible, comfort was key and it helped them keep the atmosphere light for the comedy that they were hoping to capture. After screening the upcoming finale episode, they clearly achieved just that – the episode conveys the spirit of warmth, affection and resounding humorous banter amongst all the characters.

To tease a bit about what to expect in “The Countdown Reflection,” keep your eyes open for a brief appearance by Howard’s previously unseen mother, a new and fun use for Google Earth, and a reason why stocking up on toilet paper can come in handy. Our BIG BANG THEORY heroes may be a bit space-obsessed, but they surprisingly have a soft-side that is exhibited in rare form in this episode. While Bill Brady admitted that he is loathe to have any season end on a cliff-hanger and does his best to avoid arcing seasons, he did leave the door slightly open to new possibilities for several of the characters. Just like in real life, relationships cannot be wrapped up with a bow and each of the core romantic relationships will undoubtedly continue to be explored next season. As to the final fate of Howard and his dilemma over the woman of his dreams and the ultimate dream to travel into space, that will be nicely resolved and fans will sit back and exhale with a sigh of relief and happiness. The show may be called THE BIG BANG THEORY, but it certainly guarantees a fun-filled season ending.

To see the 5th season finale of THE BIG BANG THEORY, be sure to tune in on Thursday, May 10th at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.

Where to find this article:

 

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/10/preview-big-bang-theorys-5th-season-finale/

 

 

• The replica Soyuz Capsule built for the season finale of “The Big Bang Theory” (airing Thursday, May 10, at 8/7c on CBS), currently on display at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California, as part of Warner Bros. Television Group’s Television: Out of the Box exhibit. (Photo Credit: © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

Interview with Jessy Schram of FALLING SKIES, ONCE UPON A TIME and new ABC series LAST RESORT

Jessy Schram

Rising to the top of genre television is a feat in and of itself, but young star Jessy Schram has had a great year, co-starring in the TNT alien-invasion series FALLING SKIES, making guest appearances in the ABC fantasy drama ONCE UPON A TIME, and was cast in Shawn Ryan’s hot new military drama series LAST RESORT. Taking a few minutes to chat in an exclusive interview, Jessy shared what draws her to these diverse and fascinating roles and what we can expect from the upcoming season of FALLING SKIES and LAST RESORT.

What can you share about your new series LAST RESORT?
JESSY: It’s a dramatic story about my character’s husband who steals a Navy submarine believing that we’re under attack, and the show is explores what’s really going on between our Navy system and whatever else is out there. There’s also a question about that and whether Washington knows. So there’s a lot about the political side of things. And I play the wife of the main character Sam Kendall, that’s played by Scott Speedman, and Christine’s an officer’s wife.

Does Christine actually interact a lot with her husband, or is everything done with her being separated from him due to this incident?
JESSY: As you come into the story, there’s a little flashback and you see us together. But when you come into the story, he’s already been underwater for about 3 months, and he goes and leaves at about 4 months at a time, so for the most part, he’s on an island underwater and I’m back in Washington at my post. So most of the time, we’re separated which is what most of the Navy relationships are. So I have some interaction with him, but not much. I’m mainly on my own.

Is Christine going to be protesting and stand-by her man for the action he has taken, or does she start to wonder who she actually married?
JESSY: Right now, it’s kind of at that point where they are deciding where the characters are going, but it feels like she is going to start fighting for him. There’s so many different directions they could go. In the pilot, it just kind of shows that she’s his wife and he’s been gone for a long time and there’s a little bit of strain on their relationship because he’s constantly choosing something else — like his career path, but she hasn’t chosen that willingly. So you see that tension throughout this time period he is in trouble, so she is brought into the Washington office and they are showing me all these things he’s doing, whether he’s doing them or not. It definitely puts her in a position to question everyone — especially her husband. She really does not know what to believe. I think at this point, it is something where she either goes straight behind him, or turns against him. I guess she doesn’t know. It’s a test of her commitment and willpower as she starts to wonder: who is this man I married?

What was it about the script or series that drew you to the role of Christine and the show?
JESSY: I think it was each and every character. It’s such a huge cast. What I love about it is that its not a procedural show that’s underwater dealing with our political system and people in service. It’s actually a story about what’s going on. You not only see this action-packed world and see what all the service men are doing, you also see Christine — who is just as much part of the service — it’s not about just the people left behind, but about how they are supportive and committed in a different kind of way. So I think the coolest part about it is that you get the viewpoints of over 10 different characters, all in different situations included in the show’s subject. So I think that’s one of the most awesome points. That each character is so defined.

“Once Upon A Time”

Did you have any scenes with Scott Speedman besides the flashbacks, or are your characters kept completely separate?
JESSY: Well, he’s underwater, so we are kept separate. My character in the pilot is very much part of the show, but the show focuses on explaining on what’s going on under the water at first, so you don’t see as much of me right off the bat. So I don’t know if I’ll see much of him as his character is underwater and there’s so much going on. So the show will probably keep us apart for awhile. I literally read the script when I was flying back from FALLING SKIES and it was right in the middle of pilot season, so I was told, “They need you now. You’ve got to go in.” So that next day I was offered the part and on a plane to Hawaii and then shot all my scenes the next day. It was literally a mind-trip.

If the series gets picked up, would you actually be filming in Hawaii? In that case, you must be pushing for it to be picked up.
JESSY: Yes, we’d shoot in Hawaii. It was a bit of a shock. It all happened so fast and in just one day. As I was on the plane going there, I was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m filming in Hawaii!” I was so caught up in the negative 20 degree celcius weather and doing the whole alien attack and everything like that on FALLING SKIES, and I was like, “Now I’m going to Hawaii to play the wife of this beautiful man!” And you’ve got the Navy Seals, so it’s not the worst thing in the world. It may have been a bit of an identity crisis, but I guess that’s the life of an actor. [Laughs]

Speaking of FALLING SKIES, now that you’ve wrapped the second season, it seems like Karen is playing a bigger role now that it has been revealed that she is working with the Skitters and the Overlords. Can you talk about where she may be headed in this next season?
JESSY: In the first season, she was taken away and you never really knew where she went and you just got little pieces of her. They were just developing it as they went along. But at the end of that season, you saw her taking Noah Wyle’s character Tom Mason into the spaceship and you kind of learn that the aliens can communicate to the 2nd Mass through harnessed teenagers. So she’s one of those teenagers and because she was part of the 2nd Mass, I think she plays a more personal role and a stronger role. She can connect to them, she has personal value with them. So right after that in the first episode of the second season, everything takes place right after I’ve taken Tom on the spaceship and he’s been there for three months. Karen is still the communicator for what we’re calling the Overlords, the alien you saw at the end of the first season in the spaceship. Then throughout the second season, we’ll meet up with the 2nd Mass again. I think so many questions arise — as you saw with Ben and Rick in season one, each had a harness on yet one is more connected to Earth and the human relationships, and the other was more connected to this new world that they’ve discovered. I think that any person that you come across that was harnessed, there are so many questions. Karen is definitely someone they are not sure about, so when she meets back up with the 2nd Mass all the same questions arise.

How does that affect Karen’s prior relationship with Hal? Is he able to trust her or does it create a lot of tension for them?
Jessy: That’s something I can’t get too much into to tell you the truth, only because it is such a fine line that I walk, but there are so many questions. Even with Tom, and Karen relates to this too, when someone comes back after being with the enemy for so long, everyone has conflicted feelings and doesn’t know how much they can trust. So I can definitely say that Hal will have those same questions for Karen as for his dad, in the sense of: who are you and what happened?

Karen seems to be the murky, mystery aspect.
JESSY: Yeah, it’s an awesome role to play because it was just kind of sprinkled throughout the first season, and now you get her sprinkled again this next season and there’s so much going on. Then, as you noted, there’s this mystery piece that will come in and just kind of shift things a little bit. There’s so much going on in the second season. It’s just another thing that will make you go, “What?! The what?!”

Would you describe this next season of FALLING SKIES as bigger, better and badder than the first season?
JESSY: The first season was amazing, but this second season — I know for me personally — it’s just different. It’s bigger in different ways. It’s gritty and it’s real and it touches more on relationships and bombs. The first season was all about finding out what landed and who these beings are. In the second season, we’ve discovered how to kill them and that’s in hand-to-hand combat with them. It’s a whole another thing. The first season was just about discovering what was going on and how everything was working; and now in the second season, we’re just bad-ass trying to figure out how to take everything back.

“Falling Skies”

Maybe you could describe generally one of your favorite scenes that you go to work on in the second season.
JESSY: Like I said, the second season is my favorite and I would say right off the bat, that scene coming off the finale and going into the opening scene where I take Tom on the spaceship. It’s such a blessing and pleasure to be able to work with Noah and it’s fun embodying this different character that no one has met yet. Giving him information and kind of playing with his mind. And just working with Noah on the spaceship and seeing this world that was created — which we only saw on a blue screen — was pretty, pretty cool. So actually watching it back and seeing what they created in this whole entire world, that’s definitely a highlight to me. To see what we were doing and seeing if it actually matched our reactions.

Sounds exciting!
JESSY: It is. And you’ll also see the relationships, how Karen and different people react to each other when she finally does meet up with the 2nd Mass again. All of those relationships and reactions are really interesting. This whole next season is such a blessing. It’s a really cool one, for me especially.

You’ve had a busy year, including the cameo on ONCE UPON A TIME. Have they approached you about making another appearance on the show?
JESSY: Like I said, identity crisis. Totally. Yeah, during FALLING SKIES, I was doing ONCE UPON A TIME. They both shot in Vancouver, which is pretty neat. But what’s so cool about being able to play those two characters is that they’re really defined characters. There’s one in the sci-fi world and there’s one in the fantasy world. They’re both characters that you get to play make believe and then channel that. So, for me, that was kind of fun to put on the character of this iconic Cinderella, but you get to create and make it real, and for FALLING SKIES, you’re a harness kid that used to be a scout and you are shooting guns all the time. So it’s complete opposites. It was really fantastic.

Is that how you approach your scripts, you want to find the richest and most fascinating characters?
JESSY: [Laughs] You know, they just kind of come. At least lately. It’s always fun. Now I’m playing a wife — a secure, grounded role — and yet they all have the same aspect. Each of these three characters I’ve playing the past 3-4 months, they all have the grounding of vulnerability, of strength, of wisdom — so the trend that I notice of the characters that I’ve been able to play in the last few months all have the same base, it’s just different situations.

“Falling Skies”

You are becoming more and more recognizable, not just because of who you are, but the type of character that you like to portray. They are independent, strong women that are creative in their own way. It’s been fascinating.
JESSY: Yes, yes, definitely. Thank you for saying that! They all — Karen, Ashley/Cinderella and Christine — they are all independent. They’re all on their own and alone in some way; but at the same time, succeeding. So each of the characters are own their own. Cinderella didn’t have any family. Karen doesn’t have one, the 2nd Mass is hers. Christine, her husband is gone all the time. So even though she doesn’t have a child, it’s the role of the mother, the lover, the father — you’re everyone to yourself. So they are all people that need to stand strong, but they are constantly searching for acceptance. But nothing can keep them down. They are always emerging above the surface.

Wow, that was very well said! It has been fun watching the characters you’ve brought to life. I’m looking forward to seeing LAST RESORT to get a chance to meet Christine.
JESSY: It’s going to be great! I was actually talking to one of the other actors last night and we were talking about whether it’s going to be picked up and whether women will be watching the show. You think that for a Navy show or some kind of military service show, it would only appeal to a male audience. But the women in this series are so kick-ass. It’s a great show and I’m really excited for people to see it. It’s done by amazing people and everyone in it is just so talented. So I’m hoping everyone gets the opportunity to see it.

Is there one last final teaser you want to share for any of these shows?
JESSY: Just to watch because it’s worth it!

FALLING SKIES returns with its 2-hour premiere on June 17th at 9:00 p.m. on TNT and ONCE UPON A TIME airs its first season finale on Sunday, May 13th at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.

Where to find this article:

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/09/jessy-schram-interview/

Preview for “Last Resort”:

“Last Resort” cast photo

10 Things I Did Not Know About NEW GIRL

“New Girl”

One has to love it when the cast of a new comedy series gets together to celebrate because it allows us to peek behind the curtain and see what is going behind the scenes.  At the recent Academy of Television Arts & Sciences screening of the season finale for NEW GIRL, it was a night of hilarity and funny reveals as the cast good-naturedly poked fun at each other.

This is what I learned about the cast, characters and show:

Fear of Birds

Max Greenfield is terrified of birds.  Seriously.  Co-star Hannah Simone had filmed a scene with a live vulture in the pilot, and Max was petrified.  But in his defense, he asked the audience if there were anything they were afraid of, and as shouts of snakes, spiders and sharks rang out, Max said, “See!  Now I don’t feel so alone anymore.”  As everyone laughed, his point was made.  Everyone is afraid of something.

Cece Does Actually Model

Hannah Simone has done a ton of modeling scenes on NEW GIRL, it is just that most end up on the cutting room floor and remain unseen by the viewers.  That glaring omission falls on the writers who sheepishly admitted that they write more material than can possibly filmed in 22 minutes each week and they would rather have too much to choose from in the editing room.

Nick and Winstone Swapped Roles

When the show first debuted, Nick was intended to be the more mature, got-it-together adult of the group; but as the series progressed, Winstone seemed to fit more naturally into the role, so the writers just began writing Nick as the closeted, immature adult and Winstone as the one who has it together.  So while Winstone began the season as a “lost” man, by the end, he is the one who is moving up in his career and has maintained a stable relationship.  Though Lamorne happily noted that in real life, “I’m a weird individual and they went there with it,” which explains Winstone’s flirtation with his crazier side.

Improv Is a Big Part of the Show’s Success

While the actors are quick to give props to the shows’ writers, producers, directors and fine editing team, it was revealed that frequently they just let the cameras run while the cast is performing a scene just to see how they organically play it – and if they ad lib or improve a bit and it works, then it is left in.  Anyone who has seen the cast together LIVE, knows exactly what they are referring to.  They can riff on each other, in character and out of character, with seamless ease that brings the house down with laughter.

Jake Johnson Can Sing

While the show may be fond of poking fun at Nick, Jake Johnson’s co-stars and producers proclaim that he has the “voice of an angel” and most reluctantly Jake admitted to being a singer/songwriter in his spare time.  He would not, however, demonstrate any of his fine vocal abilities.  The guy is a lot more shy than you would think!

Why Keep the Core Couples Apart

Liz Meriwether was the first to admit that it is her fault that Schmidt and Cece broke up in the season finale and she’s the one who put the brakes on the Jess/Nick romance for the moment.  She thought it was not realistic that these 20-somethings would be so quick to shed their fancy-free lives and commit to long-term relationships so soon when they are still just figuring out who they are.  She also wanted the show to stay true to the journey these characters are on and not rush them into relationships that they are not ready for – yet.  Liz emphasized that the two key ingredients to the show is “truth” and finding the “emotional core” in any given real life situation – then they throw the NEW GIRL twist on it to make it hilarious.

The Coyote Was a Real Diva

Jake Johnson felt compelled to admit that the biggest diva they have ever had on the show was the coyote used in the season finale.  Apparently, no one could make a sound around it or make eye contact with it and it had special diet restrictions that it required between each take before it would perform.  As the audience and panel cracked-up, all fun aside, Zooey shared how that the coyote was actually super scared of humans and all she had to do in her scene was take one step towards it and it quickly ran away terrified.

The Inspiration for “Meep, Meep”

Liz Meriwether also confessed that she was the one responsible for the “meep, meep” scene with the coyote with Jess and Nick.  She had been given that scene to write for the finale and after staring at the blank, white page for awhile, she just went with the one thing that come to mind:  Looney Tunes – the Road Runner.  And that ladies and gentlemen is how great comedy is written, just think of your favorite cartoon and inspiration will strike!

Zooey Read With Each Prospective Actor For the Show

Because she felt so invested in the show, Zooey actually read with each and every actor who came to audition for the roles on the show.  She was looking for actors she found inspiring and “bro’d out.”  While not exactly defined, it was suggested, that she was looking for the right mix of chemistry between the actors who would be Jess’ roommates and fortunately for Max, Jake and Lamorne, they had the secret “bro’d out” quality.

Max & Jake Dress Alike

Over the course of the lengthy audition process of NEW GIRL, Max and Jake got to be such good friends that they would text each other each time they had an audition to make sure that they did not wear the same clothes or colors that day out of fear they would cancel each other out.  As a perfect example, they stood up on stage pointing to their nearly matching blue sweaters, blue jeans and tan loafers.  But that extra precaution must have worked because it is now one year later and they are happily celebrating the end of the show’s first season.

NEW GIRL may be gone for the summer, but returns with all new episodes in Fall 2012 on Fox.  Here’s to looking forward to what we will learn about Jess, Nick, Winstone, Schmidt and Cece next year!

Where to find this article:

 

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/09/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-foxs-new-girl/

 

 

A Joyful Celebration: Previewing NEW GIRL’s Season Finale (with video interviews with cast)

In glorious fashion, Fox’s comedy series NEW GIRL ends its freshman year on a high note and quite memorably for fans and viewers who have fallen in love with it this season. Previewed before the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences last night for fans and guild members, the first season finale was met with applause and whistles of appreciation. When asked why the show opted to steer clear of a cliffhanger for its finale, it was explained that NEW GIRL is comedy and not HOMELAND. Thus, the producers and writers felt it was fitting to bookend their season and not leave their fans hanging during the summer hiatus. They also wanted to give back to the fans who have faithfully watched the show this year and made sure to embed a few special homages just for them, such as the return of a favorite dance move and a peek into Cece’s modeling world.

NEW GIRL started the season following a young girl who found out that her boyfriend had cheated on her, prompting her to move in with a trio of men who are also trying to navigate the perils of dating in today’s mercurial world of modern relationships; and so began the adventures of Jess, Nick, Winston, Schmidt, and Jess’ best friend Cece. The season provided glimpses into the zaniness of young adults living together and supporting each other through the trials and tribulations of their varied careers and dating lives. The series sought to showcase the truth of each outrageous situation with finely laced comedy to make it all the more fun.

As most know from personal experience, the big decisions of life are daunting and downright scary: whether it is moving in with a girlfriend, leaving the safe cocoon of a comfortable life with friends, committing to a monogamous relationship, or deciding on a career path. NEW GIRL reminds us that, while terrifying, those pivotal moments are also some of the best moments of our lives. Such moments define us and exemplify who we are in the face of adversity and change. The luxury of being in the NEW GIRL-world is that such moments are captured and celebrated in joyous fashion.

The finale honors these characters’ journeys as it delves deeper into the Schmidt/Cece relationship and the “slow burn” dance between Jess and Nick. It also allows Winston to confront a personal fear and come out victorious on the other side. In exclusive interviews from the red carpet, stars Zooey Deschanel, Lamorne Morris, Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson and Hannah Simone candidly shared what surprised them about their characters this past year.

Zooey Deschanel:

Lamorne Morris:

Jake Johnson:

Hannah Simone:

Max Greenfield:

NEW GIRL offers a world of hilarious comedy, but at its heart, it is about five friends who stand by each other no matter how real and scary life turns out to be. It is never more evident than in the finale when Nick must face his fear of commitment and how his friends rally around him to support whichever decision he makes. Fortunately for fans, that question is answered tonight and there will be much dancing and celebration as the credits roll on the final seconds of this season.

So do not miss one second of the first season finale of NEW GIRL tonight at 9:00 p.m. on Fox. You will fall in love with NEW GIRL all over again!

Related:

“Fun candid photos of the cast of NEW GIRL at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences”

“Lovely candid photos of the cast of NEW GIRL at PaleyFest 2012″

Where to find this article:

http://www.thetvaddict.com/2012/05/08/new-girl-season-finale-preview/

Fun candid photos of the cast of NEW GIRL at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

A few fun candid photos of the cast of NEW GIRL at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  Enjoy!

Zooey Deschanel

Lamorne Morris and Max Greenfield

Zooey Deschanel

Max Greenfield, Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson

Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris

Hannah Simone

Max Greenfield

“New Girl”

“New Girl”

“New Girl”

“New Girl”

“New Girl”

“New Girl”

Fun candid photos of the cast of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES from the Finale Party

Here are few fun candid photos from the red carpet at the DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES finale party.  Enjoy!

Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Vanessa Williams, Brenda Strong, Mark Moses

 

Doug Savant and Laura Leighton

 

James Denton and Laura Leighton

 

Kevin Rahm and Amy Lonkar

 

Charles and Max Carver

 

Tuc Watkins

 

James Denton, Doug Savant, Darcy Rose Byrnes, Brenda Strong

 

Joy Lauren

 

Joshua Logan Moore

 

Darcy Rose Byrnes

 

Nathan Fillion

 

Danielle Baltodano

 

Brenda Strong and her son Zach

 

Vanessa Williams and Brenda Strong

 

Doug Savant

 

Laura Leighton

 

James Denton, Doug Savant, Darcy Rose Byrnes, Brenda Strong

 

Mark Moses and Brenda Strong

 

Doug Savant and Brenda Strong

 

“Desperate Housewives”