2011 Golden Globes – Celebrating a few select TV shows

“The Good Wife”

Smack in the middle of its glorious second season “The Good Wife” received three high profile Golden Globe nominations: Best Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Drama for Julianna Margulies, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Television Series for Chris Noth.   Each nomination is richly deserved and if there were more categories to honor this astounding series, it certainly would have received them.

Previously Julianna Margulies won the 2010 Golden Globe for her riveting performance as Alicia Florrick, as well as the Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.  “The Good Wife” also received six Emmy nominations, nabbing a win for co-star Archie Panjabi last summer.

“The Good Wife” continues to captivate viewers with its intriguing story of a woman attempting to balance her complex personal and professional lives.

Playing her morally conflicted husband Peter Florrick, Chris Noth also walks a fine line between ruthless politician and loving husband seeking a path of redemption.  The dance between Alicia and Peter Florrick has viewers entranced wondering if their marriage will survive dalliances, public scrutiny, personal tension and potentially deadly professional ambitions.  Joined by a dazzling array of talent, “The Good Wife” also offers the multi-faceted Christine Baranski, Josh Charles, Archie Panjabi, Scott Porter, Alan Cumming, Matt Czuchry, Titus Welliver, Michael Ealy, Mary Beth Peil, Graham Phillips, and Makenzie Vega.  With such a rich cast, “The Good Wife” delivers one of the finest dramatic series on television today.  It teases, tantalizes and taunts its audience with layer upon layer of legal and political intrigue.

“Modern Family”

Another returning favorite, “Modern Family” received its second consecutive Golden Globe Nomination for Best Television Series – Comedy, and nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Television Series for Sophia Vergara and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Television Series for Eric Stonestreet.  The series about a multi-tiered family spotlighting their comedic joys and misfortunes continues on its red-hot winning streak.  In 2010 alone, it scored two Writer’s Guild Awards, a Director’s Guild Award, a Television Critic’s Award, and six Emmys.  “Modern Family” not only showcased family comedy, it made it the coolest type of comedy on television today.

“Modern Family” is a brilliant blend of comedy with semi-documentary commentary that is both engaging and entertaining. Focusing on a multi-tiered family all searching for love, happiness and a bit of peace while bringing up their children in today’s modern world of techno-gadgets, unconventional child-rearing techniques, and too many distractions caught everyone’s attention right away, the show invites us to experience all the hilarious travails of everyday life with them. Focusing on three distinct families, related by marriage and blood, their lives are intertwined in ways that invoke much love and laughter.  The secret of its success:  “Modern Family” knows how to showcase the finer and funnier moments of life. Also contributing to the show’s success are Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and Rico Rodriguez.  It is the magical combination of all these talented comedians that make “Modern Family” such a joy to watch.

“The Closer”

Receiving her sixth consecutive Golden Globe nomination, Kyra Sedgwick has once again been nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Drama.  Having won the Golden Globe in 2006 and the 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Sedgwick, as the irrepressible Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson of “The Closer,” is a character that has clearly resonated with television viewers and critics alike.

For the past six seasons it has been mesmerizing watching her use her Southern charm to illicit confessions out of suspected murders.  In addition, each season has offered hard-hitting cases that just about tore our hearts out; thus, making it all the more gratifying when justice won out in the end. Sedgwick’s finely nuanced performance crosses the spectrum of comedy and drama, but no matter where the character goes, she ensures that we are enthralled by each and every second of it.

“The Walking Dead”

Landing on the television landscape with a resounding splash, “The Walking Dead” nabbed its first major television award nomination for Best Television Series – Drama.  It has also received a Writer’s Guild Nomination for Best New Series.

“The Walking Dead” arrived just in the nick of time to capitalizing on the Halloween-horror craze, but then did the seemingly impossible and continued to attract record numbers of viewers throughout the holiday season.  Clearly, a new era of horror television has been discovered as viewers flocked to witness the zombie-apocalypse.

“The Walking Dead” is a dark, intriguing and compelling tale of love and survival. Providing the stellar performances as the ill-fated survivors are: Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal, Chandler Riggs, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Melissa McBride, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Robert Singleton, with special recognition of the fine actors whose characters were sacrificed during the season:  Jeryl Prescott Sales, Emma Bell, Andrew Rothenberg, Adam Minarovich and Michael Rooker.   If the upcoming second season is as gripping as the first, we will all be on the edge of our seats!

“Sons of Anarchy”

Receiving her fifth Golden Globe nomination for Actress in a Television Series Drama, Katey Sagal is finally getting recognition for her galvanizing role as Gemma Teller Morrow in the television series “Sons of Anarchy.”  Having just concluded its third season, the transfixing drama tells the tale of an outlaw motorcycle club at war with itself while fighting other factions and dodging the watchful eye of law enforcement.  Portraying the multi-faceted Gemma, Sagal has hands-down won the respect of critics and viewers alike.  Her performances is searing and scintillating all at once.

“Luther”

In a feat rarely seen on television, Idris Elba startled everyone with his electrifying portrayal of John Luther, a driven detective in London’s Serious Crime Unit in the British mini-series “Luther.”  It was therefore no surprise when he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series.

“Luther” deals with the personal and professional problems of a detective coming back from the brink of a mental breakdown while tackling a series of psychologically challenging cases.  As Luther, Elba radiates simultaneous charm and a chilling determination to make criminals pay.   However, the burden of tracking down the most depraved people ever to walk the earth and obtain justice for those whose paths crossed with such evil weigh on Luther and he nearly, irrevocably, cracks under the pressure.  “Luther” is an intense look at the personal cost on a detective driven to seek out justice anyway he can.

“Dexter”

Mind-bending and powerful barely describe this magnificent television series.  It is no surprise at all to find “Dexter” included in this year’s Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series – Drama, as well as nods for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for Michael C. Hall and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Television Series for Julia Stiles.

If you thought nothing could compare to last year’s shocking season, then this season was a perfect delight.  Time and time again, the talent behind this series prove that there is a reason that it is consistently hailed as one of the best dramas on television.  As if the premise was not controversial enough, the show knows no boundaries in its willingness to shock and surprise.  It is a credit to both Hall and Stiles that they upped their game and continued to make “Dexter” such a must-see television show.  Love amongst the ruins of broken psyches has been taken to a new level and we are dying to see where it goes next! Kudos to their co-stars Jennifer Carpenter, James Remar, Maria LaGuerta, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, Desmond Harrington, Christina Robinson, Preston Bailey and Jonny Lee Miller for adding an extra layer of suspense and hair-raising moments this past season to what is an already brilliantly constructed show.

“Covert Affairs”

Receiving her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Drama, Piper Perabo surprised us all.  Her breakout performance as Annie Walker, a CIA-recruit turned operative, has not only guaranteed a new hit television series, it garnered rave reviews in the process.  Perabo’s performance as part adrenaline-junkie, part rebel-with-a-cause combined with a natural luminous presence which has made “Covert Affairs” part of USA Network’s must-watch TV slate.

“House”

With his sixth consecutive nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama (which he won twice in 2005 and 2006), Hugh Laurie is a favorite at the Golden Globes.  Playing the volatile curmudgeon with a heart of gold Dr. House, Laurie’s performance has only continued to endear him to critics and fans over the years. It has been a delight to watch the mind-games and reverse psychology employed to get House’s staff and patients to do his bidding in order to save lives; plus, the Sherlockian attention to detail and ability to read people is still awe-inspiring. It is hard to imagine a more versatile actor who can deftly portray such a complex, yet lovable character.

Related link:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2011/01/14/nice-girls-faves-head-to-the-golden-globes/

How Twitter Changed Television

It paved the way to immediate news, direct access, and a glimpse behind the entertainment curtain

In 2009, a funny thing happened: Twitter exploded on the Internet. Blame it on the 2008 Presidential election or MySpace/Facebook burnout. But 2009 was the year that television was hit over the head by social media in the form of one little word: tweet. (For more analysis of how Twitter boomed in 2009, see the article “How Twitter Changed Everything in 2009 – the A.T. (After Twitter) Era Begins”

LINK: http://www.itworldcanada.com/blogs/makingitwork/2010/01/01/how-twitter-changed-everything-in-2009-the-a-t-after-twitter-era-begins/52639/ )

From celebrities to politicians to the average coach potato, Twitter became a phenomenon that equalized the playing field on the Internet. Not constrained by the usual gatekeeper methods employed by other social networks limiting interaction to only those who are “friended” or permitted into one’s internet domain, Twitter invited anyone and everyone to join in the world wide web conversation.

While tentative at first, those who dipped their toe into the Twitter world were soon addicted. It began dominating the mainstream as a way of finding out what was happening in the world. News and celebrity scandals broke faster on Twitter than anywhere else. In the era where information is power, it was the drug of choice for news hounds and celeb internet-junkies. It was literally where the news was happening.

For entertainment bloggers, it became a world unto itself. Suddenly it was not just entertainment magazines, such as TV Guide, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that were posting immediate updates. PR firms, publicists, online TV bloggers jumped in to corner a piece of the unfolding Twitter landscape. Then TV producers, showrunners, writers and a whole array of entertainment talent ranging from actors, makeup artists, wardrobe personnel, and composers were suddenly tweeting insider tidbits about the films and television shows they worked on. For fans and entertainment bloggers alike, it was heaven.

The online interaction free of typical boundaries was unprecedented. If you had a quick question for your favorite actor or wanted to find out who designed the dress they wore in the most recent episode, the information was at your fingertips. It was not only direct access, it was immediate and virtually unfiltered. It also was free. No longer did studios and networks have to buy precious advertising space in print media, such as newspapers and magazines, nor ad spots on television, all they needed was to get a buzz going about their film or TV show and the viral campaign took off like a firestorm.

For shows like “Glee,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Castle,” “Modern Family,” and “Stargate Universe” nearly all the actors were suddenly on Twitter posting updates and churning the fans into a frenzy for more information about the shows and everyone involved with them. “Vampire Diaries” raised the bar by having nearly weekly tweet-a-thons where producers and writers would live-tweet during the show to get the fans more excited and involved. Soon other shows were jumping on board and exclusive opportunities to talk to the producers, writers and actors made Twitter a hot spot and the place to be.

The next thing you knew, TV bloggers were soliciting questions from the fans before interviews and then it escalated to live-tweets during press calls with the talent. The ability to be plugged into which ever television show you desired was right there. Twitter had opened the doors to communication and raised the veil on what was going on.

In addition, no longer did fans have to visit multiple fans sites each day, they could simply “follow” their favorite celebrities and all the information about the celeb’s upcoming appearances, cause-de-jeur, daily routines, and favorite restaurants was posted right into the person’s Twitter-feed.

As I tried to convince friends and family to join Twitter and see how the Internet revolution had expanded into social media, I kept describing it as if Twitter were your own personal newspaper. Each person decides how to customize the information they receive and that is all they see. If you are a sports fiend, then just “follow” all the sports reporting sites, bloggers and sports figures. If you are a politico, then “follow” all the political sites and politicians. And if you love entertainment, then it was easy for everyone who was anyone in Hollywood to suddenly be blogging about his or her work. It was the ultimate promotion machine.

The ability to selectively choose which information sources to get updates from made Twitter the Internet world’s “newspaper.” For an entertainment writer such as myself, I found I could “follow” hundreds of other columnists, writers, bloggers, entertainment sources, and direct talent. To find out if a television show had been picked up or canceled, all I had to do was read my Twitter-feed. Before Variety could put its spin on a story, I would have received a tweet from someone I was following that “broke” the news hours before.

The instantaneousness of it all was not only addictive, it was invaluable. It allowed entertainment commentators to pick and choose stories they needed to break and not have to rely on an emailed press release or competing site to break the story ahead of them. It also gave one a sense of what was “hot” in the entertainment world. I could tell by reviewing my Twitter-feed what actors, television shows and entertainment topics were the subjects everyone was discussing and it allowed me to tailor my articles to more current and timely television issues.

So, on a personal level, Twitter made access to people and information more immediate. It also made it easier for publicists, studios and showrunners to get immediate feedback on the success of a particular show or to assess the popularity of a certain actor or storyline. The communication door opened both ways. Like DVR’s have made Nielsen somewhat obsolete, Twitter has made print media and even the news obsolete. By the time an article can be published in a newspaper or a breaking story run on the nightly news, Twitter has announced it hours before – and in some cases, days and weeks ahead.

With that kind of open and immediate access, the power of Twitter is unparalleled. For every celebrity abandoning Twitter because of the pressure and scrutiny it brings into their lives, a dozen more are joining Twitter to have more direct access to their fans, to promote their shows and products and to join in on what is happening in the world.

As aptly described in the article: “10 Reasons Every TV Exec Needs to Start Tweeting”
LINK: http://mashable.com/2010/11/05/tv-executives-twitter/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Mashable+%28Mashable%29 Twitter is a resource that more and more television executives should be exploiting. If they are not, then they are failing to use the most influential tool on the Internet today — for Twitter is an invitation to promote oneself, one’s work or even a product. In fact, it is the one type of advertising that consumers are embracing and eagerly encouraging.

Thus, it is time to jump into the 21^st century and find out what everyone is talking about. This is your chance to pull back the curtain and see if there is an all powerful Oz pulling the levers or if it all is just as magical as it seems. Twitter has changed how we communicate and its influence only continues to grow.

Related article:

http://www.insideblip.com/node/525/tv-looking-glass-how-twitter-changed-television.html

“Modern Family” returns with more family hi-jinks and laughter September 22, 2010

Coming off a glorious sweep of the Emmys, “Modern Family” returns September 22^nd for its second season. Having won a long string of awards, including from the AFI, DGA, WGA, TCA, as well as the prestigious Peabody and six Emmy awards, “Modern Family” is one of the most heavily decorated and recognized comedy shows on television – and that was all in its first year!

“Modern Family” is a brilliant blend of comedy with semi-documentary commentary that is both engaging and entertaining. Focusing on a multi-tiered family all searching for love, happiness and a bit of peace while bringing up their children in today’s modern world of techno-gadgets, unconventional child-rearing techniques, and too many distractions caught everyone’s attention right away, the show invites us to experience all the hilarious travails of everyday life with them.

Focusing on three distinct families, related by marriage and blood: the Dunphys (Phil, Claire, Haley, Alex and Luke); Jay, Gloria and Manny; and Mitchell, Cam and baby Lily; their lives are intertwined in ways that invoke much love and laughter. Whether it be from a misguided attempt to get to know their babysitter better over brunch, an exploration of what might be lurking underneath the house, or an attempt at chivalry at a fencing match, the show knows how to showcase the finer and funnier moments of life.

If anyone has not heard of this magnificent series, then this is the time to jump-in. As it returns Wednesday nights at 9:00 p.m. on ABC, “Modern Family” is set to sweep the entire 2010-2011 season as grandly as it did last season.

Related article (SLIDESHOW):  http://www.examiner.com/museum-of-tv-and-radio-in-los-angeles/modern-family-returns-with-more-family-hi-jinks-and-laughter-september-22-2010

Highlighting a few worthy Emmy-Nominated Television Shows

Modern Family

Coming off a phenomenal debut season as one of the most critically lauded comedies in years, “Modern Family” has been nominated for 14 Emmy nominations. Nominations include Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series, 2 nominations for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, and a remarkable 6 nominations for the talented actors. Jesse Tyler, Eric Stonestreet and Ty Burrell received nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara received nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Fred Willard scored a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

The show about a multi-tiered family all searching for love, happiness and a bit of peace while bring up their children in today’s modern world of techno-gadgets, unconventional child-rearing techniques and too many distractions caught everyone’s attention right away. The combination of docu-drama storytelling expertly blended with precision comedy was captivating. It also had audiences clutching their sides with erupting laughter. One perfect example was the now infamous line by Ty Burrell’s character, Phil Dunphy when he espoused his knowledge of texting abbreviations citing “WTF” as meaning “why the face.” If you missed it, you missed it — now go find a way to go back and watch it!

Dexter

The unconventional drama highlighting the daily trials and tribulations of a serial killer trying to live by a code of honor nabbed an incredible 8 Emmy nominations. Nominations include Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media – Fiction, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series, and 2 acting nominations. Michael C. Hall received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and John Lithgow received a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series — showing that the dark dance between Dexter and the Trinity Killer not only spellbound audiences, it caught the Emmy voters’ attention too.

“Dexter” is a show that should not appeal to mass audiences, but the remarkable combination of a killer who only kills those who deserve it makes it a guilty pleasure that we cannot stop watching. It fascinates and repels simultaneously.

Friday Night Lights

Coming a bit late to the party, the 4 Emmy nominations for “Friday Night Lights” are long over-due. Fortunately, the 4th season of one of the best shows on television finally got its due. Nominations include Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series nominations for Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton.

A series about a town obsessed by football is actually a whole lot more than that. “Friday Night Lights” is more about an amazing group of individuals brought together by football and how their lives intersect in meaningful ways. They share in each other’s sorrow and triumphs and bring a level of humanity to some of life’s greatest challenges. We laugh and cry with them and wish that we too could live amongst them. It is not too late to discover this remarkable series that invites us to see what is really important — the relationships we have with each other.

The Good Wife

Another freshman series that shot out of the gate leaving everyone breathless, “The Good Wife” also claimed 8 Emmy nominations. The nominations include Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Costumes for a Series and 5 acting nominations. Julianna Margulies received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and co-stars Christine Baranski and Archie Panjabi received competing nominations in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category. Additionally, Alan Cummings and Dylan Baker received nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

With a premise that the wife of a disgraced state attorney general would stand by her cheating husband who may or may not be engaged in shady criminal activities, “The Good Wife” was not expected to steal the dramatic lime-light. Yet with one episode, it riveted audiences. The mesmerizing legal battles back-dropped by salacious political maneuvering had viewers tuning in with record numbers.

Related article: http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/08/26/nice-girls-preview-the-emmys/

An Evening with “Modern Family” at the Paley Festival (2010)

 

As one would expect attending an evening with one of the most ridiculously talented bunch of comedians currently on television, the Paley Festival presentation in honor of “Modern Family” was filled with laughter.  Riding high off of their recent wins for Best Episodic Comedy and Best New Series from the Writer’s Guild and for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series from the Director’s Guild, as well as nominations for Outstanding Performance by Ensemble in a Comedy Series by the Screen Actors Guild, Best Television Series – Comedy by the Golden Globes, and Best Comedy by the Writer’s Guild, “Modern Family” has lived up to its reputation as the best new show on television.  Critically lauded as the “must watch” show of the fall season, “Modern Family” has consistently won its time-slot with viewers and only continues to garner more and more attention, not to mention rave reviews.

Chosen by the Paley Center to helm its annual two week Paley Festival, “Modern Family” lived up to the high expectations and brought the house down with laughter and raised it again with the jubilant spirits of the cast, creators and writers who beamed across the stage.

Watching a clip from the pilot episode of “Married . . . With Children,” the show credited with launching a yet unknown comedy actor at that time, Ed O’Neill, it was startling to see how young he looked.  But it was also clear where he had perfected his comedic skills in his career.  So with that blast from the past setting up the evening and after quick introductions by co-creator Steven Levitan, those of us in attendance were lucky enough to see a yet unaired episode of “Modern Family” entitled, “Fears.”  Without spoiling too much, suffice it to say that the fears addressed included:  buried treasure, roller coasters and a driving test. Trust me when I say, this will all make sense once you have seen the show! As a fan of show, this was a wonderful treat.  It was also perhaps the best episode to date and the entire auditorium was soon holding their sides with laughter.

Once the episode ended and the laughter died down, introductions were made and the cast was brought out.  Moderating the Q&A portion of the event was Billy Bush from “Access Hollywood.”  Understanding that we were all anxious to see the real stars of the show, he quickly introduced Steven Levitan, Jason Winer, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Ed O’Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet.  It should be noted that, besides being one of the co-creators of the show, Steven Levitan also wrote the episode “Fears,” and Jason Winer is one of the series’ directors.  Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Ed O’Neill, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet make up the adult cast members on the show, but, sadly, the younger cast could not attend and were sorely missed.

To start the moderated Q&A portion of the evening, Billy threw out a softball question by asking the cast if any of them do not like seeing themselves on screen.  To get things rolling, Ty Burrell volunteered, “I don’t ever like to see my Franken-brow.” His candor and willingness to poke fun at himself earned a round of laughter and chuckles and, with the ice broken, it became an evening where they tried to one up one another and played to the audience for laughs.

In response to the comment that “Modern Family” has been called the savior of sitcom, Steven Levitan merely grinned and modestly said that, while a high compliment, he simply had no idea when he was creating the show that it was going to be as big a hit as it is.  He added that, while there was simply no way to gauge what is going to be the next big hit, he is extremely honored by the warm reception and hopes they can live up to the bar now set for themselves.  As he said, “This is so far one of those rare cases where it just felt right as soon as we started bringing these people together.  It just felt good pretty immediately.  And you can’t predict this.  It’s impossible. . . .We’re just happy to be happy – we’re so thrilled – we’re so happy to be even in the game that we’re just embracing every minute of it.”

When asked about the genesis of the series, Steven shared that, after their prior television series had been cancelled, “Modern Family” was born out of a sit-down meeting he had with co-creator Christopher Lloyd.  They had been sitting around brainstorming ideas for a television show when they discovered that all they wanted to talk about were the funny things going on in their lives –and it was those funny stories that laid the foundation for “Modern Family.”  Steven summed it up with, “I think when you start from a place like that, which is real and honest, good things tend to happen.” And because of all the astounding success, Steven admitted that he just keeps pinching himself and now he’s black and blue all over. “We walk around hugging each other, then we’re terrified we can’t keep it up.” But looking at how successful the show has been already that is not really a fear they need to worry about.

Turning to casting, each cast member shared a bit about how they came to be involved with the show.  Ed O’Neill shared that initially he had no intention of ever doing another half-hour comedy after the monumental success and long run of “Married . . . With Children,” but after seeing the script for “Modern Family,” he immediately thought, “Oh my God, I’ve gotta go back to work.” Plus, he tossed out with aplomb that there was the added bonus of being cast to play the husband of Sofia Vergara.  He also shared that, “Then when I started to work with these guys, I thought ‘my god, where did these find these people – I mean it was just joy – it is, I have to pinch myself.”

According to Eric Stonestreet, who plays one half of the married gay couple on the show, he said that this was his dream show with a dream cast and a dream writer.  As far as playing a gay character, while he himself is not, he humorously clarified, “I’m appreciative of all my fans, no matter how much hair they have on their back.” Though in his personal life, he admitted, “I have a little bit of a hole to dig myself out of with the ladies.” He also confirmed that, as perhaps a tribute to his own wonderful mother, he incorporates some of his mother’s characteristics when playing Cameron.  He explained that, “She’s very passionate. She’s a real person — she’s just excitable.” Eric also shared a bit about the now famous “moon landing” scene and how a friend of his actually flew in to watch the filming just so that he could witness Eric film the “moon landing” with Ed O’Neill. So, as Eric nonchalantly said, “You know, work hard, believe in yourself — and maybe one day you too can touch asses with a television icon.”

 

The other half of the Cameron-Mitchell couple is played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson who shared from his own personal experience what it was like trying out for the role of Mitchell on “Modern Family.”  While auditioning, Jesse never thought he would actually get the part, but it was in the forefront of his mind that he wanted this role badly.  For as he shared, “I got this script and it was just one of those things where it just falls in your lap and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing!’” So when he and Eric tested together for the studio to see if they had any chemistry, he threw himself into it with determination and gusto. So much so in fact that he was completely oblivious to the fact that when he and Eric had set up to meet at a nearby coffee shop for a script read through that it was Valentine’s Day.  It was a funny moment like their characters would have had and it immediately set the tone for them working together as their characters.  Jesse also shared that he loves working with the darling baby who plays Lily, Cam and Mitchell’s adopted daughter – despite the fact it is nearly impossible to make her cry which meant they had to bring in a teenager on the studio lot with the wildest hair just to get her to cry.  But other than having a baby that likes to smile more than she likes to cry, Jesse was clearly ecstatic to be a part of both his fictional and real-life studio families.

 

No less delighted to be working on the show, Sofia Vergara was beaming with pride and happiness as well.  When asked what drew her to the show, Sofia slyly announced, “I never thought I would be married to Al Bundy!” Stemming from her deeply rooted admiration for Ed, Sofia also loves working with him because they have the same work ethic and tend to work the same way.  Their motto is, “Let’s do this fast and then go home.” While they love working together, they also value their time with their families. Sofia also commented that as far as the relationship between Gloria and Jay, “You start understanding perfectly why they are perfect for each other because they do get something out of each other — I mean, it’s obvious what he gets from me!” Then as if that comment was not outrageous enough, Ed shared a story how on the Ellen Show when Sofia was asked the question with a mischievous glint in her eye, Sofia very sweetly responded that the question of when she learned she was beautiful with, “I always knew it!” Sofia summed with, that for her, “I love the character.  It’s fantastic.  . . I have so much fun on the set. . . It’s a pleasure.  I love everybody on the show and we really like each other, so I think it is like a dream come true to be part of something that everybody loves.”

Next, sharing from his own experience, Ty Burrell said as far as his character Phil is concerned it is like he is playing a happy puppy dog and it feels like a nice vacation from his own neurotic life.  For Phil is one of those people who wears you down with his relentless, militant positive attitude. He explained that Phil may not appeal to people who meet him just once, but those kind of people will eventually worm their way into your good graces. “They annoy the crap out of you, but they wear you down.” Plus, as Steven pointed out, he based Phil upon himself and, as a result, “I have a warm place in my heart for the dorky dad who scores a hot wife.” (Steven made sure to point out his own very lovely wife as he said this and he is clearly a very happily married man who scored his own hot wife!)  When asked about what it is like to now be recognized everywhere he goes, Ty shared an anecdotal story about a homeless guy in Central Park who stopped him to talk to him about the show — clearly, you know you have made it when the homeless have seen your show! He also said it is the biggest compliment when people stop to tell him that they love to watch the show as a family.

 

As for Julie Bowen, she was simply astonished to hear that during this current pilot season she is the most requested type during auditions, for apparently all the casting directors want a “Julie Bowen” for their show.  But, as for how she came to be attached to “Modern Family,” she shared that for her the primary appeal was the fact that the show was a half-hour comedy.  Coming off of working on hour long dramas like “Ed” and “Boston Legal,” she was ready for an easier work day – particularly as at the time they filmed the pilot episode, she was nine months pregnant.  In fact, in order to hide her pregnancy, they worked really hard to use all the kids to the best strategic advantage and that the actor who plays Claire’s son, Luke, was just the right height to help conceal her baby-bump.  Another key factor for Julie is that in working on a fast-paced show makes her performance fresher and more interesting, “You don’t get to the end of the day feeling you’ve beaten the scene to death, looking for the jokes over and over again. . . [Whereas on “Modern Family”] we just find it very quickly and we’re done. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had.” So Julie likes both the freedom and refreshing change of pace. Then, responding to the question as to why women are not perceived as funny and before Julie could respond, Sofia laughed and said, “I think it’s important not to be afraid to look like a fool,” prompting Julie to look at her incredulously and retort, “When do mean ‘you look like a fool?’ Does ‘fool’ in English mean the same thing in Spanish? [Mimicking Sofia’s accent] ‘Fool’ is a beautiful lady!” As the laughter subsided, Julie Bowen also let it slip that in one of the upcoming episodes her character has an all-out brawl with a security guard, which she had enormous fun filming.  It was a chance to just go all out and she just loved it.  Shedding some light on the character Claire, Steven noted that Claire needs Phil to balance out her wild-side.  As for the kids on the show, Julie shared that they are constantly full of surprises and are a delight to them all, for the kids are a very “gifty” bunch and are constantly making gifts for everyone.  Thus, it is especially fun to have them all together, which is rare, like at table reads.  Because they are so happy to see each other and because of the familial atmosphere, it makes it such a joy to be there.

 

When asked how much of the show really is based on experiences in his own life, Steven shared that like in a prior episode, he one day came home to find the television remote in a million pieces by the front door and that one time he walked into his daughter’s room in his underwear while she was on a videoconference with friends on her computer.  He also shared that Barkley the Dog Butler has been relocated into their writing offices and it is constantly scaring or startling people who are not aware that it is there or who have forgotten about it.  He also sheepishly confessed to writing the lyrics to the infamous “I just want to do you” song that the character Dylan sang on the show.  He explained that he felt the lyrics needed to be shocking yet believable as it had to be something that Dylan felt was okay in his mind.  He also noted that Reed, who plays Dylan, wrote the music for the song.

Steven also made sure to emphasize that all the jokes in each episode are actually written into each script. “It’s 100% the script. We start with nice solid script and then we start playing with it and fortunately we’ve cast people who are very smart and very funny.  Your worst nightmare as a writer is ‘let’s improv a little bit’ and then you watch what they do and then it’s ‘let’s go back to the script.’  Instead, what we have here are people making things funnier and quite often we get in a situation where that doesn’t quite work, we’ll just start playing, and they do – and they make it better and we discover moments – and I think we have a lot of fun doing it.” Jason Winer said that, while they do have some improvisation, he feels that greater improv comes from knowing the characters better, particularly as the show is still so new.  However, they did like the one scene in which Jay apologized for running his model airplane into Phil’s face and Julie Bowen instinctively kissed Ed on the top of the head at the end of the episode and said, “Thanks, Dad,” which surprised Ed greatly as it was not in the script.  But it felt so natural.  One reasons the show is written with such a fast pace is to keep the scenes moving quickly so that everyone is not so exhausted and helps keep the viewer engaged.

 

Steven also clarified that “Modern Family” is a family show told documentary-style, rather than a show that is pretending to be a real documentary.  Levitan said, “The simple reason is that I love these characters. I’m very protective of these characters and, if these characters allowed cameras into their homes and into their children’s rooms and into their bathroom, I wouldn’t like them.” As for the role of the camera on “Modern Family,” Ty Burrell said “I like that we don’t explain it.” He noted that only the family typically acknowledges the camera, so this is like inviting the audience to be a family member – more intimate that way.  And what a marvelous family it is to be a part of – it shines like a beacon on Wednesday nights and it is a joy to tune-in and share in their exuberant antics for awhile.

“Modern Family” airs on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/03/03/an-evening-with-%e2%80%9cmodern-family%e2%80%9d-at-the-paley-festival/

Spotlight on Sofia Vergara

For anyone who has been watching the new ABC comedy sensation Modern Family, the name Sofía Vergara is already well known to you. Sofía plays the luminous Gloria Delgardo-Pritchett.

However, before crossing over to American television, in the 1990’s, Sofía was a reality television star in the Columbian travel series Fuera de Serie. Then, after a successful 4 year stint traveling all around the world to the most exotic locales, she appeared briefly hosting a reality series A que no te atreves. But as her fun-loving personality and stunning looks had begun to garner lots of attention, Sofía was quickly offered a number of film roles.

Beginning in 2002, she worked on the film Big Trouble co-starring Tim Allen, Rene Russo and Stanley Tucci, which was followed by her ground-breaking role in the film Chasing Papi. Chasing Papi was produced by Forest Whitaker with brief appearances by D.L. Hughley and Ian Gomez (a Felicity alum who now works on Cougar Town). With her career moving rapidly ahead, Sofía then filmed in quick succession the films: The 24th Day which co-starred James Marsden and Scott Speedman (another Felicity alum); Soul Plane co-starring Tom Arnold, Method Man and D.L. Hughley; Lords of Dogtown with Heath Ledger; and Four Brothers with Mark Wahlberg.

With barely a pause, Sofía then turned her sights on American television and nabbed a role on the ABC series Hot Properties, which co-starred Gail O’Grady and Stephen Dunham. Alas, the series ran only 13 episodes and Sofía returned to Columbia television in Amas de casa desesperades (the Columbian version of Desperate Housewives with Sofía playing the Mary-Alice role for that series). Simultaneously, she also worked on the ABC series The Knights of Prosperity, which co-starred Donal Logue. Once those roles concluded in 2007, she appeared briefly on the series Dirty Sexy Money as Jeremy Darling’s girlfriend and in the Mexican telenova Fuego En La Sandgre.

Then in 2008 and 2009, after Terry Perry discovered the Columbian comedic dynamo, Sofía appeared in his films Meet the Browns and Madea Goes to Jail. But because ABC was certain that Sofía was the magical ingredient for yet another comedy series, Sofía was cast as Gloria in Modern Family. The third time was the charm and Modern Family has not only become a break-out hit comedy series for ABC, it also won the Director’s Guild Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series, as well as receiving Golden Globe, Screen Actor’s Guild and Writer’s Guild nominations for best comedy series.

Having finally secured a television series worthy of showcasing both her precision comedic skills and her radiant beauty, Sofía continues to shine. Her portrayal of Gloria is finely-nuanced so that the audience never forgets that she is a mother first and foremost; in fact, some of the best comedy has been in the tender moments between Rico Rodriguez II, who plays her precocious son Manny, and Sofía. Sofía is a lightening rod as the wicked combo of ravishing beauty combined with meticulous comedic timing electrifies any scene in which she appears. As Modern Family continues to earn raves and critical acclaim, Sofía will continue to dazzle us all.

Modern Family airs on Wednesday nights at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.

Related article:

http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/02/10/spotlight-on-sofia-vergara/

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.”