Fine Dining, Kitchen Fires, and Foul Mouths: "Gordon Ramsay's F Word" Returns

I'm a huge admirer of Gordon Ramsay's F Word, the kitchen-based series from the foul-mouthed Gordon Ramsay, who has become has much a reality TV staple here in the States as he is in the UK.

I'm even more pleased that BBC America, which will launch the fourth season of F Word tonight, is returning this provocative and compelling series to primetime, where it ought to be after stripping the third season weekdays in daytime. Unlike, say, Hell's Kitchen, which is really more about showmanship and contestant humiliation than, say, culinary matters, the emphasis here is firmly on food. After all, that's the f-word of the title.

I had the chance to watch the first three episodes of Season Four of F Word and was once again completely sucked into Ramsay's kitchen world. The fourth season of F Word finds the chef/author on a mission to transform people's beliefs that healthy food is boring food on its head and he once again creates a variety of dishes that anyone at home can prepare with ease in their own kitchens.

He's joined once again by a slew of celebrity guests (including Geri Halliwell, Gavin & Stacey's James Corden, GMTV presenter Kate Garraway, boxer Ricky Hatton, comedian Ben Miller, and boy band McFly in just the first three episodes alone) and a revolving door of changing kitchen brigades, each competing for the top spot.

This year, the brigades are made up of family members, which brings just as much unity as it does conflict. (Look for Episode Two's Guru-Murthy family to be especially dangerous in the kitchen, resulting in multiple knife wounds and burns before the evening is over.) Will all 50 diners pay for starter, main course, and dessert? Or will Ramsay throw a tantrum when faced with unhappy customers?

And Ramsay will once again test his mettle against a weekly competitor who seeks to pit their homeground recipe--whether it be for Victorian sponge or Spanish-spiced meatballs--against that of uber-chef Gordon Ramsay. (Personally, I love this segment as it never fails to demonstrate how competitive Ramsay really is, even when bragging rights are the only prize to be won.)

Meanwhile, Janet Street-Porter hilariously attempts to raise two veal calves, nicknamed "David" and "Elton," on a Yorkshire farm and even turns to music and massage to produce tasty and cruelty-free meat to be served later this season in the F Word restaurant, Gordon takes his son Jack rabbit hunting and goes diving for sea urchin off the coast of Ireland, and I hear that one of my favorite foodie authors, Tom Parker-Bowles (yes, son of Camilla), will be turning up later this season in a series of segments in which he visits Sardinia in search of various delicacies.

All in all, this outing of Gordon Ramsay's F Word is a perfect hour of food-focused television, offering a tantalizing blend of celebrity interviews, how-to cooking techniques, amateur competition, travelogue, food journalism, issue-related crusading, and more food. Everything, that is except the bloody kitchen sink. Any foodie worth his salt will want to be tuning in.

Gordon Ramsay's F Word premieres tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.

Talk Back: TNT's "Hawthorne" and "Wedding Day"

Just curious, how many of you tuned in last night to watch the launches for TNT's newest series, medical drama Hawthorne and wedding-themed reality series Wedding Day?

You read my advance review of Hawthorne, which stars Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael Vartan, but now I am curious to see what you thought of the series premiere. Did you find it as tired and predictable as I did? Did you find yourselves comparing it unfavorably to Showtime's Nurse Jackie? Did you like the chemistry between Pinkett Smith and Vartan?

Conversely, did you find Wedding Day inspirational and touching... or as absolutely cloying as I did?

And most importantly, will you be tuning in again next week to watch either of these series?

Talk back here.

Sword and the Stone: Talking with Colin Morgan and Anthony Head of NBC's "Merlin"

Arthur and Merlin. Camelot. The sword in the stone. Lancelot.

There are many things that spring to mind when recalling the Arthurian myths but NBC's new acquired series Merlin, which aired last year on BBC One in the UK, throws caution to the wind by reinventing those stories for a new generation.

I caught up with series stars Colin Morgan, who plays a young Merlin just arriving in Camelot who is tasked with serving the egocentric Arthur, and Anthony Head on a recent press call to see what they thought of Merlin's legacy, shooting in France, and green-screen filming.

"One of the things that really works about [Merlin] is the variety that the show presents because when you think Arthurian legend and you think about Merlin and Arthur, you think of about that period in history," said Morgan. "And what's great is an idea started with that and twisted it and turned it on its head and made it into something completely new and different. So I think that's what was so exciting about it. And plus I get to do [magic] every day and sort of go through adventures and you find yourself in different places all the time seeing things that you would never see under any other circumstance. And the challenge of playing such a historical character as Merlin presented in a way that we've never seen before. And I mean all those factors just made it a really exciting project to be a part of."

For Anthony Head, who plays the ruthless Uther Pendragon, what lured him to the project was the strength of the writing as well as the opportunity to play a knight in a period that isn't usually captured in serial television.

"It's my first time as a knight," said Head. "To be honest, there's not actually that much of this kind of era been done [on television]. I mean, one of the things about this show is it's one of those shows that you ask yourself why the hell it hasn't been done before because it kind of basically has a little bit of everything. It has romance. It has thrills. It has spills. It has beautiful photography. It has stunning sets, beautiful costumes and it's a great thing to watch. And you do kind of wonder why it hasn't been done before."

Still, says Head, Merlin's castle is an integral part of the success of the series and is almost a character in its own right.

"The producers searched Europe and pretty much as far as they could for the right castle for Camelot, nearly gave up because they couldn't find their Camelot," he explained. "And then right at the last minute [they] found Pierrefonds, which is where we shoot. And it truly is like the seventh or eight character on the cast list because it's absolutely stunning and it lends its weight to pretty much everything we do. It was actually built on a medieval ruins in 1880 commissioned by Napoleon III and he asked his architect to build him a working model basically of a medieval [fortress] or chateau."

"Consequently, it sort of has a luminosity about it," continued Head. "The stones still looks new even though it's a few hundred years old. And that sort of as a huge kind of prism. It's not like a castle that's got, you know, bits missing and chunks taken out of it. It's all there and consequently it feels when we're working in it like it's home."

Morgan, meanwhile, feels that the fact that his portrayal of Merlin isn't the sort of dead serious one you might see in other works based on the Camelot legends is exactly what makes Merlin work relatable. By casting Merlin not as a sophisticated and unflappable wizard but as a headstrong and inexperienced young man, it opens up the story to new possibilities.

"One of the great things is as soon as you hear the name Merlin, the immediate sort of image will pop into most people's heads is a little guy with a beard or with a little serious guy and then when you get the opportunity to play Merlin like it's never been seen before of the old boy with a quirkiness and a clumsiness that's a trip," said Morgan. "And something I definitely [invite with] almost open arms and had a lot of fun playing. Of course I interact with the other characters within the show as well. Arthur being the arrogant and the young prince who you see over the series actually develops in surprising ways and you see he actually has a good heart and he is intentions are in the right place. And also we see Morgana and how she develops."

"Gwen, her relationship as we've never seen her before," he continued. "We normally see Gwen as the future queen, whereas we see her as a maiden next door. Everyone's character, we've all got something new to show, a different tell than people would normally associate with these characters."

Just don't try and make a thematic link between magic users being persecuted in Merlin as a metaphor for a persecuted minority group today.

"I think whenever you see the show and you see the look of it and the feel of it, especially being inside of the castle, and you completely buy into that world and you believe sort of everything in it," explained Morgan. "Magic is a thing that just is there and is accepted and I think you become enthralled with that without I think being caught up in any sort of metaphorical [connections]. It is very much within that world and I hope the audiences will sort of be connected with Merlin against villains that come into play and try to overthrow Camelot."

Still, Morgan says filming the magic scenes were a lot of fun, even if--due to all the CGI wizardry--you have to pretend much more than you normally would.

"When it comes into special effects and things of that within the show, for me it was very new and very different but also quite exciting," said Morgan, "because you just get to use your imagination and you get a bit of free reign with it although you have to be quite technical in terms of where you look and how you look and what way you do it. It's kind of limitless. I mean, it's great to just sort of experiment with that and to have a bit of fun. But yeah, I was speaking to the dragon voiced by John Hurt is like you're speaking to a green screen but in a a room that is [later made to] look like a cave...The creatures they've had to create [...], they did unbelievable job and when we watch the show back in theaters, you know, you've got one idea in your head of what you shot and then you see the final product and it's something that really wouldn't be out of place in the film... As an actor it [was a] great experience."

So does Head get special treatment on set as he's playing the king of Camelot?

"They treat me very, very specially," he joked. "I am, you know, much the same way that as Giles [on Buffy the Vampire Slayer]. I was kind of the oldest actors on set. But I mean having said that, I am joined by Richard Wilson who plays Gauis, the court physician. So the two of us are kind of like the elder statesmen. And then there's John Hurt who is the voice of the dragon. We don't really meet him because he's incarcerated in the bowels of Camelot. So it's down to me and Richard to kind of make sure that everybody is kept in their places."

"The French supporting artists, they give me great deference," he joked. "When I walk in they all bow, which is always nice. We try and get them trained. But it's actually a really, really lovely set and we've been able to attract all sorts of really great guests. And one of the reasons, somebody told me, is that the vibes in the business is that it's a really, really nice set to work on. And that comes from the producers and from the crew is a really great crew."

"I sincerely hope it's as well received in America as it has been in England and now in Australia," said Head. "And it's absolutely huge in Australia. It's breaking all records and its numbers are still increasing. So they're extremely pleased with it. And I hope it does the same for NBC."

Merlin launches Sunday, June 21st at 8 pm ET/PT on NBC.

Nursing a Broken Heart: An Advance Review of TNT's "Hawthorne"

Probably not the best time to launch a medical drama based around a plucky and opinionated nurse.

After all, Showtime just last week launched Nurse Jackie, its own series about, you got it, a plucky and opinionated nurse in a comedy series that's intelligent, gripping, and utterly unforgettable.

The same, sadly, can't be said for TNT's Hawthorne (I flat out refuse to capitalize the RN--for registered nurse, natch--in the series' title), which launches tonight on the cabler. Created by John Masius (St. Elsewhere, Dead Like Me), Hawthorne pales in comparison to the similarly-themed Nurse Jackie. It also tries to take a more serious tack with its handling of professional nurses than the Edie Falco-led Showtime series and yet feels all the more tired and staid as a result.

Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix) stars here as Christina Hawthorne, the widowed Chief Nursing Officer at Richmond Trinity hospital who has to contend with a headstrong daughter (Hannah Hodson), a brutal mother-in-law (Six Feet Under's Joanna Cassidy), and a slew of medical crises while also not being taken seriously by the hospital's doctors, even though she knows more about the patients than they do. In other words: we've seen all of this before.

Much of the pilot episode's conflict stems from the fact that Hawthorne and her daughter are trying to cope with the one-year anniversary of her husband David's death from cancer. And Hawthorne can't forget how things played out, especially given that she has to work each day right next to his oncologist Dr. Tom Wakefield (Alias' Michael Vartan), who serves as the Chief of Surgery at the hospital. Complicating things further are the fact that her husband's mother Amanda (Cassidy) is on the board of the hospital and she and Hawthorne agreed to exchange David's ashes on the one-year anniversary of his death... and David's terminally ill friend tries to kill himself by jumping off the hospital's roof.

While Hawthorne's personal life is falling apart at the seams, she strives to run her nurses with a firm but fair hand. Bobbie Jackson (Men in Trees's Suleka Mathew) is Hawthorne's closest friend who conceals a prosthetic leg underneath her scrubs; Ray Stein (David Julian Hirsh) attempts to rise above the constant derision he receives for being a male nurse; and Candy Sullivan (90210's Christina Moore) likes to give her patients--especially the good-looking ones, a little extra TLC.

Hawthorne herself is brittle and abrasive and given to overwrought internal narration as well as petty acts of rebellion. (See what she does with some of David's ashes for an example.) Yet as much as Pinkett Smith tries to make her sympathetic and driven, Hawthorne seems like any number of other TV nurses: determined, overworked, and underpaid. Not to mention in touch with the humanity of her patients, which is something that the hospital's doctors have forgotten in an age of profits and bottom lines.

The result is overly earnest without breaking any new ground. Hawthorne feels like a zillion other medical series that have come and gone and its "time heals all wounds" message feels greeting-card faux-heavy in a genre that has new competition from the aforementioned Nurse Jackie. Ultimately, this is a summer series that definitely can be skipped despite its efforts to inject heart into the medical drama.



Hawthorne premieres tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on TNT.

Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition: An Advance Review of TNT's "Wedding Day"

I had a hard time reconciling the fact that reality series Wedding Day was airing on TNT... much less in primetime.

If anything, the Mark Burnett-produced reality series, which throws elaborate "dream" weddings for deserving couples, feels more suited for a daytime slot on Lifetime or TLC. There's a softness that seems completely out of touch with the high-stakes drama that has become the network's bread and butter, with series like The Closer, Leverage, or Saving Grace.

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to watch the first three episodes of Wedding Day and was shocked to discover that it was executive produced by Mark Burnett; it's certainly a departure from the producer's fast-paced reality series like Survivor and The Apprentice. Granted, this isn't a reality competition series but a feel-good wedding-themed series but it could have used some of the polish and smoothness of Burnett's other series.

I feel bad criticizing Wedding Day because they are rewarding some very deserving people with the wedding of their dreams with an inspirational focus that's akin to something like Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition.

But there's a glacial slowness and a cheesiness to Wedding Day that prevents it from truly being inspirational. I tried to care about these couples but some awkward hosting and some strange format choices--with the opening scenes each week consisting of stilted talking heads--make it difficult to forge a connection with the individual couples in each episode.

Ultimately, I understand why TNT would want to be in business with Mark Burnett but the ordering of Wedding Day is a bit of a head-scratcher as it's so different from TNT's brand and core audience. As much as these couples deserve their perfect day, I couldn't care less about attending these weddings.



Wedding Day premieres tonight at 8 pm ET/PT on TNT.

Channel Surfing: Neil Patrick Harris Sings Again as "Batman" Villain, Spielberg Woos Wyle for TNT Sci-Fi Pilot, Mohinder Heads to "Psych," and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) won't be reprising his role from Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible but he will be singing in an upcoming episode of Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold slated to air this fall. In the episode, Harris will play villain The Music Meister who "has the power to create song wherever he goes, and he’s trying to dominate the world," according to series executive producer James Tucker. Fans looking to catch an animated glimpse at Harris as the Music Meister should attend the Batman: Brave and the Bold panel at Comic-Con next month, where the entire "Mayhem of the Music Meister!" episode will be screened. (TV Guide)

Steven Spielberg is said to be wooing Noah Wyle (ER) to star in his untitled TNT sci-fi pilot, which, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, "takes place six months after evil extra terrestrials decimate mankind." If a deal is reached, Wyle would star in the untitled pilot as "the leader of a ragtag group of citizens who try to bring down the aggressors." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that Heroes' Sendhil Ramamurthy will guest star on an upcoming episode of USA's Psych, set to air in August, which will be directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, who is not only Ramamurthy's cousin but will also appear in the episode himself. Ramamurthy will play Raj, "a young man who believes that the firstborn in each generation of his family is cursed—a belief reinforced by the fact that bad things keep happening to all of his girlfriends. Jay, meanwhile, plays Jay, Raj's cousin who is directing a Bollywood-style play at the local theater and engaged to be married." Look for the Psych theme song to possibly get a Bollywood makeover for this episode. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

FOX has announced premiere dates for its new and returning series this fall, with the week of September 16th alone seeing the launch of Glee and the return of such drama series as Fringe, Bones, and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, and a two-hour season opener of House (directed by executive producer Katie Jacobs) airing on September 21st, the first official day of the fall season. (Televisionary)

Meanwhile, the Futon Critic broke down the baseball pre-emptions facing FOX this fall, with every night of the week affected at least once by baseball-based pre-emotions, with Thursdays and Saturdays landing up to three possible pre-emptions this fall. (Futon Critic)

Former companion Freema Agyeman has expressed her approval of the casting of Karen Gillan as the new companion on Season Five of Doctor Who. "I think she looks great!" Agyeman told Digital Spy. "You know what? She's like an amalgamation of all of us: she's rocking the Rose look, she's got the Catherine hair, she's Scottish like David, and we share a story - she had a small part in the series before she becomes companion, and I had a small part in the series before I became companion too. She's a marriage of us all and we love her! Well, I love her and I'm sure the others love her too because she's part of the family now!" (Digital Spy)

It's official: A&E has now confirmed that it has canceled drama series The Beast, which starred Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel. A&E president Bob DeBitetto said the series was "a labor of love" for the network. (Hollywood Reporter)

And UK network ITV officially confirmed the rumor that it had axed sci-fi series Primeval. (The Guardian)

The CW is developing unscripted pilot I Pledge, based on Katalyst's online series The Presidential Pledge, which featured celebrities committing to community service during 2009. The potential series would follow those stars "as they highlight causes they believe in, and help solve a problem in the process." Pilot will be executive produced by Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, and Karey Burke. (Variety)

MTV Networks' Brian Graden will leave the company when his contract expires. He's expected to transition to a production deal with the Viacom-owned owned cable group. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC Universal has appointed Cory Shields to a newly created post of EVP, global policy strategies and alliances. He'll report to NBC Universal president/CEO Jeff Zucker and EVP/general counsel Rick Cotton. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

FOX Announces Fall Premiere Dates, Return of "Fringe," "Dollhouse," "Bones," "House"

Mark your calendars: FOX has announced its fall premiere for new and returning series.

Surprisingly, FOX has slated its premieres smack in the middle of September, which means that the network will go head-to-head with its rivals while in previous years FOX has either launched early or late due to baseball pre-emptions.

The week of September 16th alone will see the launch of Glee and the return of such drama series as Fringe, Bones, and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, with a two-hour season opener of House (directed by executive producer Katie Jacobs) airing on September 21st, the first official day of the fall season.

Meanwhile, a new edition of Hell's Kitchen sneaks onto the lineup on Tuesday nights this fall, beginning September 29th.

All of the premiere dates, as well as the official press release from FOX announcing the scheduling, can be found below.

FOX ANNOUNCES FALL PREMIERE DATES
FOR THE 2009-2010 SEASON

NEW COMEDY “GLEE” DEBUTS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

NEW FAMILY COMEDY “BROTHERS” TO PREMIERE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

NEW ANIMATED SERIES “THE CLEVELAND SHOW” TO DEBUT
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

NEW SATURDAY LATE-NIGHT ENTRY “THE WANDA SYKES SHOW” (working title) DEBUTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

FOX has set the fall premiere dates for its new and returning series. The 2009-2010 season will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 16 with the sixth season premiere of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), followed by the highly anticipated series premiere of GLEE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the biting new comedy for the underdog in all of us that features a soundtrack of hit songs from past and present. On Thursday, Sept. 17, fan favorite BONES (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the second thrilling season of FRINGE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) return. BROTHERS, the new family comedy starring Michael Strahan, premieres Friday, Sept. 18 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) followed by the return of ‘TIL DEATH (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the second season premiere of Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

HOUSE jumpstarts its sixth season with a special two-hour premiere Monday, Sept. 21 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Sunday, Sept. 27 marks the return of ANIMATION DOMINATION with the amazing 20th season premiere of THE SIMPSONS (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), the series premiere of THE CLEVELAND SHOW (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the season premieres of FAMILY GUY (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and AMERICAN DAD (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). The second season of hit drama LIE TO ME will premiere Monday, Sept. 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE will air two nights per week when the original dance competition has its time period premiere Tuesday, Sept. 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and later expands to two-hour performance shows beginning Tuesday, Oct. 27 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). In addition, new Saturday late-night entry THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title) debuts Saturday, Nov. 7 (11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT).

Premieres of new series and returning favorites are listed below in chronological order.

Saturday, Sept. 12

8-8:30 pm: COPS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9 pm: COPS (All-New Episode)
9-10 pm: AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (Season Premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 16

8-9 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Season Premiere)
9-10 pm: GLEE (Series Premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 17

8-9 pm: BONES (Season Premiere)
9-10 pm: FRINGE (Season Premiere)

Friday, Sept. 18

8-8:30 pm: BROTHERS (Series Premiere)
8:30-9 pm: ‘TIL DEATH (Season Premiere)
9-10 pm: DOLLHOUSE (Season Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 21

8-10 pm: HOUSE (2-Hour Season Premiere)

Sunday, Sept. 27

8-8:30 pm: THE SIMPSONS (Season Premiere)
8:30-9 pm: THE CLEVELAND SHOW (Series Premiere)
9-9:30 pm: FAMILY GUY (Season Premiere)
9:30-10 pm: AMERICAN DAD (Season Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 28

8-9 pm: HOUSE (All-New Episode)
9-10 pm: LIE TO ME (Season Premiere)

Tuesday, Sept. 29

8-9 pm: HELL’S KITCHEN (All-New Episode)
9-10 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Time Period Premiere)

Tuesday, Oct. 27

8-10 pm: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (Time Period Premiere)

Saturday, Nov. 7

11-12 am: THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (wt) (Series Premiere)

Stay tuned.

Haunted by Death: Hearts Aflame (and Missing) on the Season Two Premiere of HBO's "True Blood"

Lick the blood off of your lips, it's time to talk True Blood.

I reviewed the first four episodes of Season Two of True Blood last week, but now that the season premiere ("Nothing But the Blood") has aired, we can actually talk specifics about the episode. (Which is a good thing as knowing certain plot twists without being able to talk about them has been actually quite painful.)

The sophomore season begins with a hell of a bang, revealing the fate of much beloved character Lafayette, deepening the relationship between Bill and Sookie (along with throwing a spanner into the works in the form of Jessica), and giving major storylines to each of the supporting characters. It's a fantastic start to what promises to be a gripping and gruesome season overflowing with murder and mayhem.

So what did I think of the season premiere of True Blood? Grab yourself a bottle of Tru Blood O Positive, get out your silver chain, draw the shades, and let's discuss.

While I've already seen through the fourth episode of the season, the usual rules apply: I won't be spoiling anything from that episode below and will keep my thoughts and comments restricted to "Nothing But the Blood." (So spoiler-phobes, nothing to fear.)

The Red-Toe Nailed Corpse. I can't even say how happy I was that we started Season Two by learning who the leg in the backseat of Andy Bellefleur's car belonged to... and that it wasn't Lafayette whose corpse was laying there. The reveal that it's actually the body of fake exorcist Miss Jeanette rather than Lafayette was a brilliant bait-and-switch on the part of the writers. Given that we saw Lafayette get taken at the end of the first season by some persons unknown (more on that in a bit), it was a stroke of genius to end the season with the discovery of a leg that could most definitely belong to Lafayette himself.

Instead, it's pharmacy checkout cashier Miss Jeanette who was executed in an extreme state of shock (and had her heart torn out of her body in the process) and who was left for Andy to discover. It's interesting that it's Miss Jeanette, given her history with Tara and Lettie Mae but also the fact that the discovery of her corpse--a taunting gesture if there ever was one--is juxtaposed with the imprisonment of several individuals who have each seemingly perpetrated crimes against the vampires.

Now Miss Jeanette was a two-bit fraud who was running a highly successful scam against gullible types who needed to cast out some sort of demon. But she was also appropriating a bit of magic she certainly didn't have. Tara's exorcism was nothing more than some ipecac and peyote, a little bit of theatrical emesis that was a convincing trick. However, as we saw in the pilot episode of True Blood, vampires don't like people pretending to masquerade as something they're not. The removal of the heart, the look of abject fear on Miss Jeanette's face, all point to murder by vampire. So why kill her? Other than to send a message, that is...

Lafayette. Fortunately, Lafayette is alive but he likely wishes he were dead after being forcibly imprisoned all this time in a contraption that seems like something from a Saw garage sale. Lafayette hasn't perpetrated any crimes against vampires directly, but one vampire that he was involved with (Stephen Root's Eddie) did go missing under most mysterious circumstances. (Thank you very much, Jason Stackhouse and Amy.)

And yet, Lafayette's jailers do keep him alive longer than anyone else trapped down in that hellhole... including that redneck from last season who caused a ruckus at Merlotte's when he refused to be served by Lafayette (in "Sparks Fly Out"). Coincidence that these two would end up here together? I don't think so, especially as said redneck is believed to be involved in the murder of three vampires in Bon Temps. And just when you thought things were going to maybe go somewhat better, said redneck has to attack his jailer with a concealed piece of silver and go and get himself killed. Or, well, ripped apart while still alive, with his blood splashing right on to poor Lafayette. Ick.

Sookie and Bill. The two lovebirds meanwhile have had their honeymoon derailed by the appearance of Bill's vampire spawn Jessica, who isn't taking too kindly to Sookie being around the Compton place all the time. As for Sookie, I don't blame her for being livid about Bill keeping Jessica's existence a secret from her. Bill has proven time and time again to believe that protecting Sookie means lying to her about the things that go bump in the night instead of believing that she can handle the truth. For her part, Sookie has grown and changed since we first saw her in the pilot (witness the way she dealt with Gram's death head-on in this episode by packing up her belongings) and I couldn't help but cheer when she delivered her "I'm stronger than you think" speech to Bill.

Sookie has demonstrated that she's willing to forgive Bill all manner of sins, including the murder of her despicable Uncle Bartlett, which she learns about in this episode as well. Despite the fact that she's shocked to learn that Bill murdered her great-uncle (as punishment for his mistreatment of Sookie as a girl), she is willing to forgive him this... and the two end up making love in one of the series' most sexy sequences yet.

Jason. I'm not surprised that Sookie didn't want to keep Bartlett's inheritance but I didn't expect her to turn it all over to Jason... who had been looking for a divine sign about whether his destiny lay with the Fellowship of the Sun and the leadership conference overseen by Steve and Sarah Newlin. While Jason was dismayed to learn that the conference cost $12,000, he gets his answer when the funding literally falls in his lap. Still, Jason tells Hoyt that the Fellowship is about more than hate and is about something bigger, something he couldn't find at their local church. Jason quotes Reverend Newlin's book and talks about stepping out of the darkness into the light and it's quite easy to see just how prison can bring about a spiritual conversion. If anything, Jason is the newest zealot to their cause and that worries me quite a deal.

Maryann. Loved the scene where Maryann picks up Tara after she's been questioned by Bud and Andy about Miss Jeanette's murder. Just when when you think she's going to be cordial and sweet towards Lettie Mae, Maryann unleashes one of a truly vicious, poisonous verbal attack against Tara's mother. Absolutely awesome, even if Lettie Mae still scares me more than any vampire on this series.

As for Maryann herself, she appears to draw power from the physical and sexual frenzy of those around her... hence the decadence with which she lives: the endless supply of tropical fruits and pot, the enormous culinary spreads, the way she pushes everyone else to divest themselves of their inhibitions and give way to their desires. (Which could be why she clobbers servant Carl when he breaks the moment between Tara and Eggs.)

And it's now clear that she shares a past with shapeshifter Sam Merlotte. As we saw in the season opener, a seventeen-year-old Sam encounters Maryann when she breaks into her house in the guise of a beagle and then tries to make way with her possessions. Once she starts flapping like a hummingbird during sex, Sam makes his escape, taking a large quantity of cash with him. So what does Maryann want with Sam now? It's certainly not money, given her amusement that he tries to buy her off. Hmmm...

Eric. Just when I thought we wouldn't get to see Eric Northman this week, he appeared out of thin air to walk downstairs to that subterranean dungeon (his hair in tinfoil wraps, obviously in the midst of highlighting) and revealed that Lafayette's kidnapper and jailer is none other than himself. And just like that, Eric's involvement in this series takes a major twist... and he takes a big chomp out of the mouthy redneck before ripping him to shreds. Ouch.

Best line of the evening: "Nobody needed towels!" - Maryanne

What did you think of the season opener? Were you surprised by the reveals about Lafayette and Eric? Did you predict that it was Miss Jeanette in the back of Andy's car? What does Maryann want from all of them? Talk back here.

Next week on True Blood ("Keep this Party Going"), Sookie must deal with Bill’s obligations to Jessica; Jason makes a favorable impression on the Fellowship of the Sun's leaders, Steve and Sarah Newlin, though not on his jealous roommate Luke; Maryann casts her spell on Merlotte’s patrons, and Sam proves helpless to stop the revelry.

The Ending is the Beginning: A Night of 1000 Bubbles (and Tears) on the Series Finale of "Pushing Daisies"

In the topsy-turvy world of Bryan Fuller's candy-colored Pushing Daisies, death isn't always the ending but quite often the beginning.

This weekend's series finale of Pushing Daisies ("Kerplunk"), which sadly went off the air without much in the way of fanfare after being delayed six months and unceremoniously dumped on Saturday evenings, followed through on this underlying thread, which had deliciously wriggled its way through the entire series.

After all, it's a series that began with the resurrection of a beloved dog by a grief-stricken young boy who soon learns that he has the power to bring the dead back to life with a touch. But it's an ability that has deadly consequences for those around him, even if he uses his powers to solve murders and avenge the dead.

The death of lonely tourist Charlotte Charles has lasting repercussions, particularly to her aunts Lily and Vivian (or, I should say, her mother and her aunt), who have become withdrawn recluses following Chuck's death, removing themselves even more from the world that once adored them as the Darling Mermaid Darlings. On the eve of their return to fame and fortune with the Aquacade, long-buried secrets have a nasty way of rearing their ugly heads, but so do second chances.

And really, that's what Pushing Daisies is all about in the end: second chances.

I had the opportunity to watch the final three installments of Pushing Daisies back in April (and wrote about my experiences watching these incredible episodes here) but, now that the final episode has aired, I'm curious to know what you thought of the series' send-off as it heads to the big piehole in the sky.

Pushing Daisies clearly meant to go out with a bang rather than a whimper and one need only look at the slew of guest stars assembled for the final installment to see how the series retained its unique quirkiness right up until the end. What other series could boast a single episode featuring Wendie Malick, Nora Dunn, Wilson Cruz, Michael McDonald, Joey Slotnick, and Josh Hopkins at a traveling sea show? (My answer: none.)

While "Kerplunk," written by Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts and directed by Lawrence Trilling, was clearly not meant to be the series' ultimate episode, I thought that creator Bryan Fuller and Company did a good job of quickly wrapping up many of the storylines. The swooping CGI-laden camerawork as we soar over the familiar landmarks of the already-missed Papen County was a delightful and bittersweet way to end the series, by backtracking through the entire series' many stops along the way, an aerial trip down memory lane that culminates in a final image of Digby running through the fields of daisies, heading inexorably towards his death... and his life.

Elsewhere, Vivian finally learns that her fiance Charles Charles had cheated not with some unnamed woman but with her sister Lily and that Lily had secretly given birth to a baby girl and concealed her pregnancy and Charlotte's true parentage all these years. And, while I assume that had the series continued Vivian would have kicked Lily out of the house they've shared all of these years, their row is interrupted by Ned and Chuck at their front door. And Chuck finally gets to tell her aunts that she is in fact miraculously alive. I can't help but wonder what their reactions would have been to seeing the once-dead Charlotte alive again (or how Ned would have explained that without exposing his ability) and I can only hope that the adventures of this diverse band of eccentrics does get to continue on in comic form.

Meanwhile, the publication of Emerson's book, "Lil Gumshoe," has the intended result: it manages to bring him together with his missing daughter Penny, who uses the pop-up book to track down her detective father. Again, while we don't get to see the reunion between the two (we hear Penny knock at the door and say she's looking for Emerson Cod), it leaves things open enough to continue in another medium.

And lovelorn Olive Snook finally finds love with the loopy Randy Mann, allowing herself to keep her heart open even after it got broken (over and over again) by her unrequited love for the Pie Maker. I loved that this unlikely duo would open up The Intrepid Cow, a cow-shaped restaurant focusing on macaroni and cheese. (And that said macaroni would be Lil' Ivey brand, a clever shout-out to Fuller's own short-lived FOX series Wonderfalls, where the cocktail bunny spoke to Jaye.)

Was it a perfect ending? Definitely not but it was bittersweet, featured the dulcet tones of unseen narrator Jim Dale, tied up some of the series' dangling plotlines and made me tear up all over again.

Ultimately, I'm going to miss Pushing Daisies, which remains one of the most unique, inventive, and original series ever to air on US television, and most of all, it's compellingly quirky and lovable band of characters. To Ned, Chuck, Emerson, Olive, Lily, and Vivian: I'll see you on the other side.

What did you think of the series finale? Was it everything you hoped for? Did you tear up or sob? And is this the end for the forensic fairy tale? Talk back here.

Channel Surfing: "Flash Forward" Will Tell Complete Story, Lafayette Speaks, "Lost" Spin-offs "Impossible," ITV Axes "Primeval," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Producers of ABC's upcoming sci-fi series Flash Forward say that the series will offer a complete plot in its first season and will reveal answers in the first season finale. "We know exactly ... what season one is, with great specificity, because at ... the outset, we had to plan the entire season," showrunner/executive producer Marc Guggenheim told SCI FI Wire. "The first season ends with our characters' catching up to their futures. So you can't do that on the fly. I mean, I suppose you could, but I don't think it would be a very satisfying viewing experience for anybody. We made the commitment at the outset [to] plan out the entire first season before we start breaking episode two. So the very first thing we did, apart from ... figuring out character backstories and [all] that—when the time came ... to actually start breaking story, it was, 'OK, how are we going to move the characters from where they are in episode one to where they are at the end of the season?'" (SCI FI Wire)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello catches up with True Blood's Nelsan Ellis, who plays charismatic and flamboyant Lafayette to discuss the character's fate, the reveal in the season premiere of the HBO drama, and what's to come. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Lost's Matthew Fox says that there won't be any spin-off series emanating from ABC's Lost once the series wraps its run next year. "I think the show will end in a way that there really cannot be any future of Lost," said Fox, shooting down dubious reports of a spin-off series. "I don't think the word Lost will come up at the end of the last [episode]. That's how much finality it will have. Unlike any other episode ever done on Lost, I think it will just go to black and that will be it." (Digital Spy)

Total Sci-Fi is reporting that UK broadcaster ITV has canceled sci-fi drama Primeval and won't be recommissioning it for a fourth season, despite ending the third season on a cliffhanger. "Obviously we're devastated that things should end this way with ITV," said an unnamed source close to the production. "But we're absolutely certain that although this stage of its evolution seems to be over, Primeval isn't dead. We're very proud of what we've achieved over the past three years and we have every intention of keeping Primeval alive in other ways." Those ways may include a possible US series or a feature film from Warner Bros. US fans may want to skip the spoiler-laden third paragraph, which contains spoilers for the third season finale. (Total Sci-Fi)

CBS has ordered three more installments of I Get That a Lot, a hidden-camera special in which celebrities work undercover at various run-of-the-mill jobs. The celebrities participating in the next batch of specials, from LMNO Entertainment and Magic Molehill, have yet to be named. (Variety)

TV Guide Channel is making some significant changes, beginning with the pink-slipping of 38 employees and programming downgrades. Weekly talk show TV Watercooler will be canceled as of June 22nd, while Hollywood 411, a daily entertainment news magazine, will become a weekly series and weekly series Infanity will become a series of specials. (Hollywood Reporter)

VH1 has given a series order to an untitled reality series which will focus on people afflicted with obsessive compulsive disorder. The series, from 3 Ball Prods. and executive producers JD Roth, Todd Nelson, Adam Greener, Matt Assmus, Jeff Olde, Jill Holmes, Alex Demyaneko, and Noah Pollack, will focus a group of OCD sufferers as they live together at a treatment facility and participate in group and solo treatment. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Link Tank: TV Blog Coalition Roundup for June 12-14

Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation.

This week, I reviewed the first four episodes of Season Two of True Blood, talked to Alan Ball about what to expect this season, and had a candid interview with Virtuality co-creator Michael Taylor about the upcoming FOX airing of the two-hour pilot and offered up Anthony Head's thoughts on Buffy, Dollhouse, and Merlin. (I also went on TV Talk Radio this week to talk about all things television-related.)

I also had advance reviews of the pilot episodes of ABC's The Forgotten, CW's The Beautiful Life, and FOX's Sons of Tucson as well as Bravo's Top Chef Masters, discussed the latest episodes of Pushing Daisies and Top Chef Masters, offered a Talk Back for the premiere of Showtime's Nurse Jackie, and reviewed the two-season DVD box set for Mistresses.

Plus, news about Katee Sackhoff joining the cast of FOX's 24, Ashes to Ashes getting ordered for a third season, Showtime renewing Nurse Jackie for a second season, Comedy Central's resurrection of Futurama, Joss Whedon on Season Two of Dollhouse, and much more.

Elsewhere in the sophisticated TV-obsessed section of the blogosphere, members of the TV Blog Coalition were discussing the following items...

• So, Futurama is back. Buzz wonders: Is this cause for celebration — or just puzzlement? (BuzzSugar
• This week, Sandie interviewed Angel Coulby and Anthony Head from the new NBC show, Merlin. (Daemon's TV)
• This past week was a lot of fun. Jimmy Fallon & his guests had us laughing. Top Chef Masters returned to make us hungry. And our favorite reality show, So You Think You Can Dance, made us want to dance. (Give Me My Remote)
• Scooter unveils the Best Television Shows of the 2008-2009 season. Sadly I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! just missed the eligibility deadline. Maybe next year. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
• Not even a pretty face and an English accent can save the hyper-mediocre new show Mental. (TiFaux)
• Vance thought it was such a strong first week Top 20 performance, that he doesn't know who to love right now on So You Think You Can Dance!(Tapeworthy)
• This week, the TV Addict shone the spotlight on the Broadway invasion that is upon us when the new slate of shows premiere this Fall 2009. (The TV Addict)
• The more he reads about various Flash Forward characters, the more excited Matt gets about this show. (TV Fanatic)

From Dusk Til Dawn: Talking with Alan Ball about "True Blood" Season Two

Make no mistake: the swirl of mystery surrounding the second season of HBO's vampire drama series True Blood is a very intentional thing.

Series creator Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), who developed the series based on the novels of Charlaine Harris, has asked that all journalists who have seen the first four episodes of Season Two (myself included) keep its secrets just that... a secret. And the fact that no one has spilled their guts (pun intended) about the series' second season plot twists make me think perhaps Ball had glamoured us over the telephone.

Ball, speaking to select journalists in support of True Blood's second season, offered up some clues about what viewers can expect to encounter in Season Two, whether Northman-obsessed fans can expect "moar" Eric, why Bubba won't be turning up, those mysterious Newlins, and Charlaine Harris, among other things.

So why not pour yourself a nice warm Tru Blood, settle in, and see what Ball has to say about what's to come in True Blood.

Many fans are wondering just how closely Season Two of True Blood will follow the plot of Charlaine Harris' "Living Dead in Dallas."

"Well, the challenge with all of the books is that they are basically Sookie's story," said Ball. "And so I feel like my job and the job of the writers is to remain true to the spirit of the books but basically we are creating stories for the other characters who are not Sookie and Bill. That said, I feel like one of the reasons the books are so popular is because they work. So I would say we're remaining relatively faithful to the Sookie/Bill story from 'Living Dead in Dallas,' we're certainly trying to find ways to get our other characters involved in everything that's going on. I think we were probably more faithful to the first book than we are being to the second but we are still pretty faithful."

"I don't think we'll ever veer away from the books entirely," said Ball. "One of the reasons that I love these books is that the story works. I think, yes, obviously we took some liberties, like creating Jessica. Originally, in the books, Eric is the one who stakes Longshadow, but for the most part we basically tell the same story, maybe not quite as much in Season One but in Season Two... Obviously, we're going always going to have to sort of juggle those things and eventually the more books that Charlaine publishes the more I think it will probably diverge more but I do feel a real responsibility to stay true to the world Charlaine created."

One character that Harris' readers shouldn't ever expect to see turn up in HBO's True Blood, however, is that of Bubba, the books series' vampiric Elvis.

"There's no way to do it without it being hokey," said Ball. "You can do it in the books because you can imagine that it is actually Elvis, but there's no way we can do it without it being like an Elvis impersonator and there's just no way to do it unless you never see his face or something like that. But it felt like something that one can accomplish in a book but you really can't accomplish on screen."

Is there an overall theme for Season Two? And does it connect to Sookie's speech to Bill in the season premiere where she says, "I'm stronger than you think"?

"I would say the overall theme is the power of cults, whether that is a strange, neo-Greco pagan cult or a church, organized religion," said Ball. "And Sookie is on a journey of self-discovery over this season and over what I see for the arc of the show. Particularly, she's learning a lot of new things about herself--I can't really get into the way--but she is a lot stronger than anyone thinks, actually even herself. I think that's kind of an unintended thematic thing."

"When we wrote that episode where she said that we were just basically thinking, it's a young woman who is in a relationship with a man who has somewhat chauvinistic ideas about women because of where he came from and how old he is and when his ideas about women and relationships were formed. It was her just basically saying, I would rather you tell me the truth, even if it's something that's going to hurt me, than not tell me because you're trying to protect me, because ultimately that's really kind of condescending."

Still, despite mentioning Sookie's journey as a major overall arc, Ball says that he doesn't have a firm idea about how many seasons True Blood could run... and that's a Good Thing.

"No," said Ball. "Basically, any kind of big, collaborative adventure like this, the one thing you really want to happen is for it to start to assume its one life and sort of let you know what it wants to be and that definitely happened with this show the first season. And this season, it's really making it clear what it really is. I know that sounds kind of crazy and flaky but that's just the way I work. I don't know how many seasons it could last. My instincts with this one is that it could last for a long time. At least to the point where we have to ignore that the vampires are, you know (laughs), looking older."

Viewers might be disconcerted at first about the seeming disconnect between the second season's overall plot and the separate story threads involving Jason and Tara but Ball says that it's intentional and everything comes together by the end of the season.

"It goes back to the books and the source material, [which] are basically Sookie and Bill stories," he explained. "So the other characters don't really exist unless they are in the same room with Sookie and Bill. We didn't make a conscious decision to showcase everyone separately but just focusing on the source material and Sookie going off to Dallas and then trying to find ways to get Jason and Tara and Sam for that matter all married to that story eventually it just sort of worked its way out. You can't really have Tara and Jason going with Sookie on her mission so it just sort of worked its way that it starts with all these separate strands that sort of come together towards the end of the season."

In the meantime, Season Two gives audiences a slew of familiar faces as well as a new batch of exciting guest stars, including Evan Rachel Wood, who will turn up toward the end of the season.

"[Evan Rachel Wood] is appearing in the last two episodes as, everyone knows, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, a very powerful vampire and a very interesting character," said Ball. "I can't really give much more away than that right now. The other guest stars that you've seen: Michelle Forbes is playing a character Maryann who is definitely bringing something new and interesting to Bon Temps, Michael McMillan and Anna Camp are playing Steve and Sarah Newlin, very, very interesting religious figures... they're not really religious figures but they are extremely powerful in a religious organization. There's Ashley Jones, who plays Daphne, a new waitress at Merlotte's, Wes Brown who plays Luke, a friend of Jason's in the Fellowship of the Sun... And Mehcad Brooks, who is Tara's love interest [Eggs "Benedict"]."

So how did Wood's casting come about? Did Ball approach Evan Rachel Wood or was it vice-versa?

"I got a call from Evan's manager during the first season saying that she loved the show and wanted to be a part of it and of course I was thrilled," remembered Ball. "I said, yeah, well if something comes together and something presents itself and she'd be right for it, I'd love to have her. I don't really create roles for actors; I just don't work that way, I just create characters first but then as we were breaking stories for this season and we decided we wanted to meet the Queen--who actually you don't see until later in the books, although do you meet her in a short story that Charlaine publishes that takes place between the books--and we decided to use her, I thought, wow. She'd be great for that."

Ball has been quoted as saying that Season Two of True Blood will be "scarier and sexier" than Season One. Yet many are bewildered how it could be even sexier than the envelope-pushing first season.

"No, I'm never going to go into porn," said Ball. "I've gotten a note about one specific sequence that said, it could be a little hotter. By me saying it's sexier, when I saw the first episode, I said, 'Oh, okay, wow.' It's very sexy. It's not a show for children, let's just say."

Speaking of those vampires, what's Ball's take on that vampire rights advocacy group that we've seen since the beginning of the series? Are most vampires living crime-free lives or are majority engaging in major crimes?

"Definitely, the vampires we meet this season... We really meet both ends of the spectrum," mused Ball. "I would assume given the availability of Tru Blood and the availability of humans who are willing to get bitten that most vampires don't really have to resort to crime. Those vampires are probably not the most interesting characters, dramatically. Certainly, I've never really thought about the percentages of the vampire population [and the crime rates]."

"I think that the American Vampire League is a lobbying organization and so they are advocating for a particular group," he continued. "I don't think the vampires are ever going to [organize]. They have an agenda. What that agenda is probably in their own self-interest, which is usually the case with any lobbying group. I think the vampires are rather like humans in many ways. There are a lot of peaceful, law-abiding vampires that no longer have to hunt humans and then there are those for whom they just want everything. They want power, they want control, they want money. And they'll do what they have to do to get it."

Still, said Ball, drawing a direct connection between the series' vampires and the gay rights movement is "lazy"... and wrong. "Ultimately, if you latch onto that metaphor and become really serious about it, it would make the show was extremely homophobic," he said. "Because vampires are dangerous, they kill, they're amoral, a lot of them. I don't think that's what it is. I think that's just a nice little detail in what is hopefully a big popcorn thrill ride. It's a scary romance at the heart of it. Granted, we get very much more into the culture war aspect of things this season, with the Fellowship of the Sun church and we find out much more about vampire politics... I just hope people can remember that."

So what is Ball's biggest challenge for this season, both as a writer and the series' executive producer?

"As a writer, the biggest challenge is trying to keep all of the separate storylines balanced until they all start to converge toward the end of the season. We don't have a sign in the writers room that says, 'It's the characters, stupid!' or 'It's the emotions, stupid!' but we might as well because that's our whole approach. We don't have the time or the money to do special-effects and ultimately, I think the show works because the characters are fascinating and with what they're doing through we care about them. And as a producer, my biggest challenge is just making the show on a TV budget and schedule. The show is gigantic and it's just sort of bursting at the seams."

Has he been surprised by how well show was received in its first season?

"I really don't think about those things," he admitted. "Over the years, I've developed a philosophy of just focusing on the work and staying out of the results. Working at HBO is such a fantastic experience that I'm in a little bit of a bubble. I don't have to worry about ratings in the same way that shows on networks do. It's not like if the show doesn't do well on the first outing they are doing to cancel it. Obviously, they are going to air the whole first season and allow time for the audience to find the show. The only way I know how to work is to create work that I myself would respond to. I always thought that the books were wildly entertaining and wanted to do a show that was really entertaining as well as interesting in the way that speculative fiction can be interesting and outlandish with dark situations but you are still basically still exploring humanity with characters that are not entirely human."

"I always thought that the show was a hoot and the fact that so many other people get it is fantastic," continued Ball, "but I don't feel like I have any more freedom this season than I did before because again that's one of the great things about working with HBO... because when they buy a project, they want you to bring your vision to it, there's not a lot of people all over trying to turn it into something different, which is exactly what the networks do, based on my own experiences working there. I'm thrilled that people love the show. The show is so much fun to work on and make and that translates to the screen; it's a really fun program to watch. I always thought there would be an audience for the show and the fact that there is makes me say, well, I wasn't wrong this time. (Laughs) There have been plenty of other times where I have been wrong."

Given the proliferation of vampires in popular culture, with things like Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, etc., Ball has his own theories about why vampires have such a hold on society's imagination.

"Vampires are sex," said Ball. "Vampires basically arose in our time as a metaphor for sex. I mean, vampires are sort of the ultimate Romantic rock star, bad boy or girl fantasy. One thing that I've learned, both in the way the show has been received and in the way that Charlaine's books have been received and the fact that there is such a thriving sub-genre of supernatural romance, is that [for] a lot of people the idea of being bitten by a vampire is a big turn-on. You can also sort of set yourself up as a vampire so you get to live this existence above the law, there's a lot of really gratifying elements to the fantasy but it's so outlandish that there's that remove so you have permission; you can get excited about it because it's not real. (Laughs) I'm just basically making this up as I go along, I don't really know why vampires have such a powerful place in the cultural psyche but I am glad they do."

"Vampires being a way to explore our fear of The Other as a sort of a cultural xenophobia is a really interesting take on this and [demonstrates] the difficulties of co-existence with people who are not like us," explained Ball. "I think that's incredibly timely because of all of the ways that fears and anxieties are projected onto Others. I would say that's what makes this particularly timely but then there's also a lot timeless about it. There's a big part of the show that's a sort of Saturday afternoon matinee with cliffhangers and fun... Ultimately, it's a thrill-ride."

As for Twilight, Ball was frank about this feelings about the franchise and underplayed any connections to True Blood.

"I can't really talk that much about Twilight because I haven't read any of the books and I didn't see the movie," he said, almost shrugging. "I personally don't really understand why you would have vampires in a something that is basically about abstinence. But I guess it makes the case for young girls to fantasize about vampires in a way that isn't really threatening. I'm not the audience for that so I can't really comment on that. But as long as people love vampires and that helps bring them to our show, then I am really happy."

So what else can viewers expect to encounter during Season Two of True Blood?

"[Steve and Sarah Newlin] both see a lot of potential in Jason and there is definitely some random erotic energy flying around with the juxtaposition of him [entering] into their lives... (laughs) it's uncomfortable and it will take us into some surprising places. But I love those three characters together. Whenever we get them together on screen, I just want to watch that show. I mean, I want to watch all the shows in the show, but that show is really, really fun and we spend a lot of time watching the show in editing over and over and over again and that one never gets old."

How will the writers use Eric this year? And will it be different than he was handled in Season One, where he seemed to flit in and out of the action?

"Well, it's very similar to Eric's role in the books," said Ball. "Yes, he gets introduced in Book One but he's not really a big player. He's a big player this year. He is a motivating force and he becomes much more of a thorn in the side for Bill and for Sookie in some surprising ways, that Bill definitely does not like, that he is ambivalent about."

And "we'll see a much more human side to Eric" this season as well.

Don't look for any explanation of why all of these supernatural creatures seem to be descending on Bon Temps. (In other words: there's no Hellmouth here.) "There seems to be a large convergence of supernatural energy in this small town," said Ball, "but that's just the nature of the series." He went onto to say that supernatural creatures exist everywhere within the world depicted in the series.

Meanwhile, Ball teased that there are some major flashbacks slated for the season's fifth episode involving a whole slew of characters. "We do get out of Bon Temps and we do this season," said Ball, "so we do learn that they are everywhere... We also do go back in time and learn that they have been everywhere, always."

Plus, at some point this season, we'll meet "the oldest vampire we've ever met and the most human" so far on the show: Godric, who will be played by Danish actor Allan Hyde.

Also look for True Blood author Charlaine Harris to turn up in a cameo this season, likely in the second season finale. "There's a certain boundary that has to exist," said Ball. "But I do remain in contact with Charlaine. She's actually going to come out and have a cameo on the show, probably in the last episode of the season. She said she's ninety percent happy with the show."

Season Two of True Blood launches Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO. (You can read my advance review of the first four episodes here.)

TV on the Radio: Televisionary on TV Talk Radio

Had a truly fantastic time yesterday appearing live on TV Talk Radio, where I spoke about summer series like Nurse Jackie and True Blood, pilots, the state of the television industry right now, and what we can look forward to watching this fall.

If you happened to miss me chatting live with host Shaun Daily (a.k.a. Shaun OMac) yesterday, you can download yesterday's show on iTunes here or stream the show here.

In fact, I had such a great time participating, that I'll be returning to TV Talk Radio at a later date. Be sure to join in next time by not only tuning in to the show live, but also by actively participating: you can offer questions or comments in TV Talk's chat room and via Twitter.

Stay tuned and thanks for listening!

Channel Surfing: Whedon Talks "Dollhouse" Season Two, "My Name is Earl" Officially Dead, Middleton Talks "Sarah Connor," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Wondering what Joss Whedon has in store for Season Two of Dollhouse, which returns to FOX this fall? Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly caught up with the Dollhouse creator to find out what to expect. "About two hours after starting to talk to the writers about story, I was back with such a vengeance, and so energized and so pumped because we really understand the show now," said Whedon. "We understand what works, and what didn't work so well or what we weren't so thrilled about. We don't have the onus of trying to be a big hit sitting on our shoulders. We can just be ourselves. And so the stories we're breaking are pure, and exciting, and everybody's on-board in the room, and it's never flowed better." Look for Echo to use that final word of Season One as a springboard for her second season mission. ""Echo wants to find not just Caroline, but what's going on behind everything," said Whedon. "She doesn't have all of the skills. [Laughs] But she does have this weird super power of becoming a different person all the time, so she might start using that more specifically to find out who Caroline was and what happened to her and why this place exists." (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

My Name is Earl has officially been killed, following talks between studio 20th Century Fox Television and cabler TBS about picking up new installments of the comedy series. The studio released a statement yesterday that talks between the two sides had broken off after they were unable to reach an agreement. "While we had hoped to find a way to produce additional episodes for TBS, in the final analysis we simply could not make the economics work without seriously undermining the artistic integrity of the series," said the studio in a statement. "As none of us, [creator Greg Garcia] included, want the show to go out on anything but a high note, we regret that we must put to rest any speculation that Earl will continue." (Variety)

SCI FI Wire catches up with James Middleton, the executive producer of FOX's canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles to find out what would have happened in the series' third season, had it continued. "By jumping into this future, [John] has erased his existence in a certain way, and we see that. We see that nobody recognizes him," said Middleton. "We would have to have explored that if we did get a third season. If we had gotten a third season, I should say, we definitely would have explored what it all meant, but I think there's a great moment where we see Allison [Summer Glau], and John's look to her is very meaningful. I think that also would have been a great thing in terms of dramatic potential. Like I said, the show has ended, and it would all be speculation, and I really don't want to raise anybody's expectations." (SCI FI Wire)

Eric Roberts has joined the cast of Starz drama Crash, where he will play "an entrepreneur hoping to bring a professional football team to L.A." Other new cast members for Season Two, which launches on September 18th, include Dana Ashbrook (yes, Twin Peaks' Bobby Briggs himself!), Linda Park, Jake McLaughlin, Tess Harper, and Julie Warner. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Comic-Con's Dollhouse panel next month will be two-hours long and will feature a screening of the unaired thirteenth episode, entitled "Epitaph One" and a discussion with Joss Whedon and series star Eliza Dushku. The two-hour session, according to a 20th Century Fox Television source, will take place on Friday, July 24th. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Meanwhile, Ryan is also reporting that there won't be a Heroes panel this year at Comic-Con. "According to a representative from Universal Media Studios, which makes the show," writes Ryan, "Heroes will "have a presence" at Comic-Con in various ways, but that presence will not involve the typical panel discussion that is a staple of Comic-Con." What that presence is remains to be seen but Ryan implies that it will involve a Season Four sneak peek in some form. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Stephanie March will be staying put on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and will appear in at least ten episodes next season. "The show is expected to introduce one or possibly two new characters to fill the ADA void when Cabot isn't around," writes Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

CBS Television Studios has signed a two-year overall deal with CSI: NY executive producer Peter Lenkov. Under the terms of the deal, Lenkov will remain on board CSI: NY next season, where he teases fans will see ""Much more character. The mystery and the science are important, but people are just as important." (Hollywood Reporter)

Discovery has given a ten-episode series order to Garage Wars, in which mechanics will be pitted against each other to determine the best garage in America; two teams will be given a box with the same parts and must build the best vehicle from them in just four days. Series, from A. Smith and Co., is currently on the lookout for two car experts to serve as hosts. (Variety)

Outbound News Corp. president/COO Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope are said to have already begun taking meetings at the town's top talent agencies and inviting them to begin pitching projects. The duo are launching a new production company as part of Chenin's exit from News Corp that is said to operate under a similar deal as David E. Kelley's former arrangement. (Hollywood Reporter)

Chuck's Sarah Lancaster will guest star in an upcoming episode of TNT's medical drama Hawthorne, where she will play the girlfriend of a horrific motorcycle accident victim (My Boys' Reid Scott). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Reveille has picked up US remake rights for Icelandic workplace comedy The Nightshift, about three graveyard shift workers at a gas station who try to remain motivated after dealings with eccentric customers. "The Nightshift is that rare international format that has American sensibility, and we're eager to tackle another workplace comedy after the success of The Office," said Reveille's managing director Howard Owens. "The show has a smart, ironic point of view, which we know will translate well in the U.S." (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Get Your Blood Boiling: An Advance Review of the First Four Episodes of "True Blood" Season Two

Ready for another bite?

I'm ashamed to admit that I came to the True Blood party late. Having been turned off by the initial installments, I only became invested in the Southern Gothic vampire series when I was sent a copy of the Season One DVD boxset and quickly fell under its brooding spell, devouring this darkly seductive series in just a few days.

Since then, I've had the opportunity to watch the first four episodes of Season Two of True Blood, launching this weekend on HBO, and was completely captivated by the series' fantastic characters (both main and supporting alike), the multitude of compelling (and overlapping) subplots, and a strong throughline of dread, allure, and menace that embody the series' sophomore outing.

True Blood's writer/executive producer Alan Ball, who adapted the series from Charlaine Harris' best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels, has asked that journalists not give away any of the whiplash-inducing plot twists in the four initial episodes of Season Two and I am going to respectfully follow through on his impassioned request... although it's mighty hard as I'm bursting at the seams from wanting to talk about just how insanely shocking these installments are.

When we last saw the gang in Bon Temps, Sookie (Anna Paquin) had survived an attempted murder attempt at the hands of the serial killer stalking the streets of this backwoods town, a killer who was revealed to be none other than Cajun Rene Lenier (Michael Raymond-James), who also killed the girlfriend of Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) while he lay beside her, out of his head on V. Bill proved his undying loyalty to Sookie by risking his own safety by attempting to save her in broad daylight, despite the sun damage.

Tara (Rutina Wesley) discovered the truth about the exorcism that she and her abusive, alcoholic mother Lettie Mae (Adina Porter) underwent in the woods... and ended up getting arrested after she drunkenly ran her car off the road when she spies a naked woman and a pig. She ends up moving in with the mysterious Maryann Forrester (Michelle Forbes), who seems to have designs on Tara.

And, oh, there was the little matter of Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) seemingly getting abducted by persons unknown. And Tara and Sookie's discovery of a red-toenailed leg in the backseat of a car belonging to Detective Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer). Just what do these two things--if any--have to do with one another? That would be telling. But suffice it to say that these two dangling plot threads from Season One are dealt with head-on... and in a very unexpected way.

So what happens in these first few installments of Season Two? For one, Bill and Sookie's relationship is complicated by the arrival of the teenage vampire Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) into their lives and both will have to adapt to having Bill's vampire spawn lurking around the Old Compton place, interfering in just about everything, and causing some major conflict to develop between the star-crossed lovers. Look for a particularly hysterical scene in which Bill attempts to purchase some clothes for "daughter" Jessica at a department store. And for Sookie to make an unexpected discovery (or even several) that could change her outlook forever.

Meanwhile, Jason is drawn deeper into the world of the Fellowship of the Sun, when he leaves Bon Temps to attend a "church camp" hosted by Reverend Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian) and his bouncy, blonde wife Sarah (Anna Camp). I can't speak about any specific details once again but I will say that Steve and Sarah are my two favorite new characters and that there is a certain, uh, frisson between the married evangelists and Jason Stackhouse as he inches ever closer into the church's inner circle.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) faces a dilemma and is forced to deal head-on with his unrequited love for Sookie as well as an attraction to Merlotte's newest waitress, the clumsy but spunky Daphne (Ashley Jones) whose simple exterior might belie something far more interesting than she first appears. And we'll learn a lot more about Sam's mystery-cloaked past along the way...

Wondering about Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), are you? Rest assured, there's plenty of Eric Northman in these four episodes and one can't help but feel that, despite moving on the series' periphery, Eric is going to become a much more central character this season on True Blood. He unveils a new look in this first four episodes that's courtesy of the icy Pam (Kristin Bauer) and reveals something we haven't really seen from Eric before: human emotion. (Just what that is, you'll have to wait and see.)

Once again, the supporting cast each gets a chance to shine and in the first four episodes alone, there are some nice character development parceled out to Mehcad Brooks' Eggs "Benedict," Todd Lowe's Terry Bellefleur, Carrie Preston's Arlene Fowler, Jim Parrack's Hoyt Fortenberry, and the aforementioned Lettie Mae Thornton (Porter). True Blood has done a remarkable job at juggling numerous characters and plot threads and these initial installments build upon that tradition, giving even tertiary characters time in the spotlight. The result is a fleshing out of the Bon Temps denizens that deepens the series, even as it strays away from the supernatural mythology that creates its intriguing spine.

All in all, these four opening installments of Season Two show not only a significant improvement above the first few shaky episodes of the first season but are proof positive why True Blood has transformed into an addictive and enthralling series about the darkness that lurks under the skin of every small town. Expect more than the usual amount of sex and gut-wrenching gore as True Blood heads to even darker places these season. One can't shake the feeling that there's a war coming to Bon Temps, one that's steeped in blood and conflict as ancient evils and modern killers alike get tangled up in the battle that's yet to come. I'll be watching--with glee (and at times through my fingers)--on the sidelines.



Season Two of True Blood launches Sunday night at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Reminder: Televisionary on TV Talk Radio Today

Just a quick reminder that I'll be appearing live on TV Talk Radio today (Thursday) at 3:25 pm PT talking about summer series, pilots, and what we can look forward to watching this fall.

You can listen to me chatting live with host Shaun Daily (a.k.a. Shaun OMac) here or you can download or stream today's installment at a later time as well.

Plus, you can join in by not only tuning in to the show live, but you can also actively participate by offering questions or comments in TV Talk's chat room and via Twitter.

Stay tuned and thanks for listening!

The Master Chefs Get Schooled on "Top Chef: Masters" Series Premiere

Just out of curiosity, how many of you tuned in last night for the series premiere of Bravo's Top Chef Masters ("Masters Get Schooled"), the spin-off series for its venerable Top Chef series?

You read my advance review of the series premiere yesterday, but I'd love to know what you thought of the episode itself and the new format of the series, in which four chefs will compete head-to-head over six weeks to determine who will move on to the final rounds.

Last night's episode featured Hubert Keller, Christopher Lee, Michael Schlow, and Tim Love as they were tasked first with creating a dessert plate for a group of Girl Scouts in under thirty minutes and then had to create a three-course meal for some college students using only a microwave, hot-plate, and mini-convection oven in an actual dorm room.

So how did they do? Let's discuss.

I thought that the Quickfire Challenge was a good one because desserts somehow always manage to trip up the competitors on Top Chef, so I was pleased to see these master chefs put through their paces under severe pressure and some intense scrutiny... especially from that outspoken little red-haired girl who certainly voiced her opinions and objections. I felt bad for Michael Schlow, who tried to do way too much, offering a milk chocolate cake (which failed to rise), peanut butter-chocolate candies, and honey almond cream. Likewise, Tim Love was extremely ambitious with his strawberries three ways, including a chocolate-dipped strawberry, a strawberry smoothie (which the kids called bitter), and a chicken-fried strawberry that defied description. Christopher Lee offered French toast skewers with caramelized banana, orange sauce, and maple syrup fluff.

But most successful was Hubert Keller, who seemed to best understand and execute the brief: he designed an incredibly imaginative plate that included an adult-focused dessert (chocolate mousse and meringue) but interpreted in a kid-friendly fashion: a meringue swan, a whipped cream mouse (complete with ears and tail), an oversized goblet of mousse. The flavors were sophisticated but approachable and he tweaked the presentation to suit the diner. Well done, Mssr. Keller.

I was stunned to see just how many restrictions the producers had placed upon the chefs for the Elimination Challenge. It's tricky enough when the task involves microwave ovens and hot plates but take the chefs out of the familiar environs of the kitchen and place them in cramped, messy, and equipment-less dorm rooms and you have some serious challenges. (Loved how Keller used the shower to drain and cool his pasta. Stroke of genius, really.)

For the first course, Love offered up a scallop carpaccio with lime and chili that was elegant and refined. Likewise, Schlow went the raw fish route with a salmon crudo with cucumber, mint, red chilies, and kumquat and Lee did the same with a red snapper ceviche with citrus, avocado, and popcorn, which offered a range of textures and flavors. But once again, it was Keller who delivered the goods, with fresh Scottish salmon served over a creamy whole-grain mustard and caper sauce and topped with radishes.

Second course: a cabbage soup with smoked bacon, fennel, and white beans from Schlow that was rich and hearty; Lee served up risotto with proscuitto, sage, and parmigiano reggiano that was overcooked (hard to cook risotto to order in a dorm room; bad call); Keller offered a carrot and petit pea soup with cinnamon croutons; and Love turned tragedy (accidentally freezing all of his ingredients) into triumph with a squash and corn "posole."

Third course: skirt steak and braised kale (overly salty) from Love; pork a la apicius with broccolini and mushrooms from Schlow; mac and cheese with prawns, mushrooms, and herbs from Keller; and a pork chop with piperade, crushed potatoes, and mache and fennel salad from Lee.

All in all, a strong display of skills and vision from all but it was no surprise that Keller walked away the ultimate winner here. I had a feeling from the opening seconds of the episode that Keller, of San Francisco's Fleur de Lys, was the one to beat and I can't say that I was shocked that he's moving on to the next round of competition.

What did you think of the episode? Was Keller the strongest competitor? Does the series live up to its Top Chef pedigree? Do you miss Tom, Gail, and Padma? Discuss.



Next week on Top Chef Masters ("The Lost Supper"), the next four master chefs are tasked with creating an elegant amuse-bouche from vending machine fare; Lost provides the inspiration for the elimination challenge.

Channel Surfing: Matthew Fox Talks "Lost" Final Season, "Reaper" Creators Check into "Dollhouse," Buckley Replaces Green on "One Tree Hill," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

E! Online caught up with Lost star Matthew Fox in Monte Carlo, where he was on hand to attend the Monte Carlo Television Festival, and got the actor to tease some details about Lost's sixth and final season. Fox, who said that Lost will end with "an incredibly powerful, very sad and beautiful way," went on to say " "I think it is going to be very satisfying and cathartic and redemptive and beautiful. I've talked to Damon pretty extensively and every time I talk to him it's sort of surprising how moving it is just to talk about it." As for the beginning of Season Six, look for the action to begin with the reveal of just what happened after Juliet seemed to detonate the hydrogen bomb, with Fox teasing, "It's very surprising and probably fairly confusing initially to the audience... Like a third of the way in [to the season] I would guess we are going to [settle] in one time frame and it will be very linear—no more flashbacks, nothing. It will be on the island and sort of a final conflict to the end." Very interesting... (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Reaper creators Michelle Fazekas and Tara Butters have joined the writing staff of FOX drama Dollhouse, which returns for its second season this fall. The news was announced by Dollhouse writer Maurissa Tancharoen on her Twitter feed. Fazekas and Butters, described by Tancharoen as "awesome," recently signed an overall deal with studio 20th Century Fox Television. (Twitter)

Robert Buckley (Lipstick Jungle) has signed on to CW's One Tree Hill as a series regular next season, where he will replace Brian Austin Green, who has dropped out of the series after a deal couldn't be reached. He'll play Clayton, described as "a brash young sports agent who represents Nathan Scott (James Lafferty) and has become a close friend, ally, business partner and advisor to him while also enjoying the spoils that come from being a wealthy, handsome single guy." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has ordered five episodes of comedic dance competition series Let's Dance, which will feature celebrities learning to react famous dance routines, such as Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey's dance in Dirty Dancing, etc. Episodes will air live, with viewers asked to vote on their favorite performers, who will return for a final round. Series, based on a UK format that aired on BBC One earlier this year, will be produced by FremantleMedia North America and Whizz Kid. (Variety)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin catch up with True Blood stars Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer in a series of video interviews in which the duo spill a few details about Season Two of the HBO vampire drama. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Jonathan Sadowski (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Keir O'Donnell (Sons of Anarchy), Rebecca Wisocky (Bones), and Kaylee DeFer (The War at Home) have been cast in Comedy Central's live-action comedy pilot Ghosts/Aliens, written by Phil Johnson and based on Trey Hamburger's novel. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is slated to air on Sci Fi (or Syfy as it will be known by then) in November and BSG spin-off series Caprica will launch in January 2010, according to Sci Fi president Dave Howe. Also potentially on tap: a BSG feature film, possible three or five years down the line. (The Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Universal Media Studios has signed two-year overall deals with Heroes writers Aron Coleite and Joe Pakaski. Under the separate deals, the duo will continue to write for Heroes, entering its fourth season this fall, and develop series projects for the studio as well. (Variety)

Viola Davis (Doubt) will guest star on the second season of Showtime's comedy series The United States of Tara. Davis, who is slated to appear in seven episodes of the Diablo Cody-created series, will play Lynda B. Dozier, described as "an uncoventional artist who plays a significant role in Tara (Toni Collette) and her daughter Kate's (Brie Larson) lives." (via press release)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that the season premiere of House has been expanded to two hours and will be directed by executive producer Katie Jacobs. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

MTV will begin shooting Season Twenty-Three of its venerable reality franchise The Real World this summer in Washington D.C. The cabler, which will premiere the current Cancun-set season on June 24th, will launch the Washington season in 2010. (Hollywood Reporter)

Warner Bros. Television has hired former NBC executive Erin Gough Wehrenberg as SVP of comedy development. She will report to Len Goldstein and will work closely with Lisa Lang and Wendy Steinhoff-Baldikoski. (Variety)

Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) will star in Lifetime Movie Network telepic Cinderella Pact, about a magazine editor with an alter ego as a reclusive columnist whose latest column about weight loss inspires her overweight co-workers to band together to shed pounds by following her advice. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Go/No-Go: Televisionary Talks to "Virtuality" Co-Creator Michael Taylor

One of the most eagerly anticipated series from last season was the sci-fi suspense series Virtuality, created by Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore and Michael Taylor and directed by Friday Night Lights' Peter Berg, which will finally air its two-hour pilot later this month on FOX.

I caught up with co-creator/executive producer Michael Taylor this morning for a one-on-one interview, in which he discusses the likelihood of FOX picking up Virtuality to series, what his and Ron's ideas were for the first season's storylines, Sci Fi's interest in the series, that jaw-dropping slingshot sequence, and, oh, a punk-rock Japanese version of the theme song from The Munsters.

Televisionary: Can you describe for people who might not be familiar with the series, the overall concept of Virtuality?

Michael Taylor: It's set in a near future, 20-30 years out against a backdrop of an Earth that's experiencing a severe global warming, something that we could well be experiencing by then, though it's really quite dire at this point. And that's the backdrop and the show is about the crew of a space ship, Earth's first interstellar space ship and their first mission to another star in another solar system where scientists have hoped that we can find life. And possibly find something that might help us solve our ecological problems back home. However, because it's a voyage we're not expecting them to be chasing after asteroids or whatever else; it's a straight-line shot, which would be the way a voyage like this would work. So it makes it pretty dull for the crew for most of the time.

And partly to alleviate boredom, to alleviate tension that might start simmering with twelve people cooped up in this tin can all the way over there, they've been equipped with a virtual reality program with allows them to simulate any environment they wish, something they can enjoy in complete privacy or share if they so desire. And the idea is that everything is going swimmingly except at a certain point, just as we join the voyage and they are about to leave our solar system and commit to this long-term five-year trip--ten-year round trip--mission to this star system, something starts to go wrong in these virtual reality environments and it seems innocuous at first but it gets more serious. Meanwhile, serious things start happening in the real world of the ship, serious problems that could jeopardize the mission, the safety of the crew.

Televisionary: Last time we spoke, Peter had cut down the pilot into a one-hour version and then FOX has since committed to airing the two-hour version on June 26th. What is the current status of the project now? Is it still possible that it could be picked up to series? And have there been discussions between you and Ron and Universal Media Studio about following through on this elsewhere potentially?

Taylor: Certainly there have been those sort of discussions about following through... [With FOX publicity,] we've discussed how to approach this. The network has not made a formal announcement about the fate of the show. Peter Berg wasn't asked but he volunteered to make a shorter cut. One of the compromises that is made in getting this show on the air--and it's a way sometimes that networks and sometimes studios hedge their bets it's, all right, maybe it's not a series, let's make it a two-hour back-door pilot and we do it as a movie and we can make some money back, sell it overseas, whatever their marketing thinking is. But at the same time, I feel FOX may have thought, well, maybe it could work better as an hour or more clearly as a pilot and they wanted it shot to recut it that way. However, once you take a show and expand it to two hours, it's very hard to put that genie back in his mullah's bottle and I think Pete [Berg's] cut is very, very cool but it was a somewhat different show. And I think FOX thought six of one, half a dozen of another, and they decided, let's just air the original two-hour version to let people see what the entire project was that they essentially scripted it to be.

All that being said, if I'm being honest here, it does not look good for the show to be picked up by FOX as a series. That's why it's honestly being put on on a night like this and we have had discussions with other discussions, in particular Sci Fi Channel, which I think loves the show. But then there's a financial issue of them affording a show like this and being able to put it on. Honestly, this is probably it. One shot airing of this pilot. The good thing is a lot of pilots that don't make it to series--most of them--never make it onto television. So at least people have a chance to say, okay, this is what these guys did and this is what this great cast we assembled and a talented, amazing director like Pete Berg were able to create. Odds are that will be as far as it goes. And it would take a miracle of enough people watching on a night like this to change that.

Televisionary: Can you speak a little bit about the changes that were made to Virtuality's final act? I don't want to spoil anything but what is going to air is slightly different than what you and Ron originally worked out in the script.

Taylor: Exactly. We took it to two-hours. Ron has a philosophy, you've got something really good, we've got something in mind, an idea that we already envisioned, we could play it now, why hold off? I mean, let's lay all of our cards on the table and show just how weird and twisty this can get in those first two hours and create other, tremendous surprises along the way. In other words, you don't have to hoard your ideas, let's just go for it. I think that was the idea.

And I read one review, I guess, by the guy who does Futon Critic [Brian Ford Sullivan] who was wild about the script and the original script and really liked the two-hour version that he saw--and I don't even know how he saw it or it may have been an earlier cut--but was surprised by the changes as well. To me, it just takes us down the rabbit hole a little earlier, I guess you could say, and sets up a really intriguing situation by the end of the show. Is it as outwardly dire as the picture the pilot seems to paint? Uh, that I can't say. Maybe not, maybe yes. But it certainly opens an even greater mystery by the end of the show and that's what we wanted to do.

Televisionary: On a lighter note, what's with Billie (Kerry Bishé) singing The Munsters' theme?

Taylor (laughs): Oh! Originally in the script, I wanted to use a punk-rock Japanese version of The Mary Tyler Moore theme and I thought this character Billie Kashmiri, who has a virtual alter ego, a sort of Buckaroo Bonzai rock-and-roll superspy, a song like that would be very empowering. And imagine it like Joan Jett doing it. And then I later found out that Joan Jett actually does do a punk-rock version of that song. Mary Tyler Moore would not actually let us use it and didn't idea of it being in Japanese, whatever it was, it made her kind of... she wasn't into it. And beyond that, it was very expensive and this is a show that, as expensive as it is, we had to be really tight with our budget to make it work.

And The Munsters theme just happened to be in the Universal library and [when] I first heard of this, I said, you've got to be kidding. The Munsters? But I checked it out and there actually was a Munsters Christmas special where they wrote lyrics for an expanded version of The Munsters theme and it was super dorky. So by the end, I wrote new lyrics to The Munsters theme, sort of punk rock lyrics, then we translated those into Japanese and I thought it sounded great and I think it's hysterical. Ron and I were watching the taping of this, the filming of it, and thinking, wow, we should have just broken this out as a whole music video. That was fun... it's something worth posting, the new lyrics to The Munsters theme in English.

Televisionary: I was just going to say, will the English translation be available somewhere?

Taylor: Huh, I hadn't even thought of it until now but we certainly can make it available online.

Televisionary: If Virtuality would have (or were) to continue, can you give us a taste as to what the first season's storylines would have been about?

Taylor: I think it would be a very tense mystery, in some ways not unlike Damages, a series that might flash-forward to a point somewhere in the future and then show us how we got there. But we had all sorts of ideas worked out and it would a very tense thriller, kind of suspense piece yet at the same time would be building into some really interesting areas. I think the biggest question we would be asking would be, what is reality? How do you define it? It would be a very trippy, very cool, very suspenseful space adventure.

Televisionary: Obviously, you and Ron were coming off of Battlestar, which has a huge, sprawling cast and Virtuality has twelve physical actors aboard the Phaeton. Was it a challenge to move away from that large-scale cast to a limited one?

Taylor: I was writing a script for these twelve new characters. (Laughs.) Not to limited to me. In fact, mostly what I heard is that it was an ensemble show very much in the mold of Battlestar, so Battlestar was certainly very good training for writing something like this and I didn't see it as a limited show, with a hero and his sidekick and a couple of chums. It really was a pretty large cast and I tried to give every character a real chance to shine. I wanted us to care about all of these people, so I didn't really see if in those sort of terms of a smaller or scaled-down kind of thing. We didn't have a hundred ships or a rag-tag fleet but in the end, in Battlestar even, there's probably about a dozen key characters, right? It's probably not that dissimilar; they're just mixed in with a much bigger crowd but there are still only really about the same number of [main] people.

Televisionary: Could you speak briefly about the pilot's slingshot sequence, which was just absolutely amazing?

Taylor: Hats off to Pete Berg there, who chose the music and created the vibe. I mean one thing we didn't want to go for was a false danger, false threat from this maneuver which gets us out of the solar system but Pete crafted this gorgeous sequence. It's a wonderful musical number--I'm actually spacing on what the tune in the scene is--it is a really fun sequence and that's Pete's doing.

Televisionary: What do you hope that viewers take away from this two-hour?

Taylor: I hope they dig it. It's not perfect. There's stuff we would have loved to have had a chance to adjust, change, even reshoot a little bit. We didn't have that opportunity. I'd like them to think, wow, this is a really cool show and I really wish to hell that I knew what was going to happen next. But I am glad that we got to see this and I do feel a little wistful. Ron and I both think that this would be a great series and I wish the network really shared that enthusiasm and we're very proud of what we accomplished. And not just that but the entire team--our fellow producers, our remarkable director, our amazing cast, so I hope people enjoy the ride... and I hope they wish it was longer!

Televisionary: I'm keeping my fingers crossed that something can happen now that we're at the go/no-go point and hoping there's a way maybe we can keep going.

Taylor: People sent pencils or something to FOX regarding Dollhouse? Or there was an NBC show that they kept on the air. Maybe we can send sunglasses to Peter Rice or something. (Laughs.) Or camp outside Mark Stern's house or send some letters. But it would be fabulous if there was a chance to continue the story of this show because it's a great show.

Virtuality's two-hour pilot airs Friday, June 26th at 8 pm ET/PT on FOX.

Knife's Edge: An Advance Review of Bravo's "Top Chef Masters"

If you're at all like me, you've been going through some serious Top Chef withdrawal these past few months and while the series itself won't be returning until sometime later this fall (with a Vegas-set edition), you can get a taste of the culinary competition series by tuning in tonight to spin-off series Top Chef Masters on Bravo.

Hosted by Kelly Choi, Top Chef Masters seems similar--on the surface, anyway--to its predecessor in that several judges square off through both a Quickfire and an Elimination Challenge. However, in Top Chef Masters, the chefs are more well-known than the original series' contestants... and in many cases have appeared on the series as guest judges.

The pressure to win then is even more severe. In addition to bragging rights at being named the ultimate Top Chef Master, these master chefs are competing for donations to the charity of their choice and the first few episodes depict four contestants apiece fighting it out for a spot in the finals. This change in format makes it easier to keep track of the contestants (there are, after all, 24 chefs this time around) and give each of them some weighty screen time.

But if you thought that the producers would let these masters skip through some simple challenges, you've got another thing coming. The Quickfire Challenges are more or less a best-of from the five seasons of Top Chef that have aired so far and the contestants are hampered even more by the fact that they are given less time to complete these challenges than their less famous counterparts.

Ever wonder what Hubert Keller would do when faced with a group of demanding girl scouts in a dessert challenge? Then this is the series for you. These chefs might be the best and brightest in the nation but they are put through their paces with some tough challenges. In the first episode alone, they're tasked with creating a dessert plate on the fly in under thirty minutes and then later in the Elimination Challenge, have to create a three-course meal using only a microwave oven, a hot plate, and a mini-convection oven.

Ahem. And did I mention that all three courses have to be prepared in an actual college student's dorm room? Oh yeah, there's that too.

Top Chef Masters isn't for the faint-hearted. The stakes are just as high here to win as in Top Chef and these master chefs approach the challenges both with as much humility as they do with a shark-like desire to win... and to wipe the floor with their competitors.

Top Chef Masters' first episode features the uber-talented Hubert Keller, Christopher Lee, Michael Schlow, and Tim Love (you can read more about each of them here) and, despite the smaller cast in each episode, it's fantastic to see them work out solutions to each of the challenges. Being a great chef has a lot to do with being highly adaptable and you can see the gears turning inside each of their heads as they figure out their mode of attack for each challenge.

Subsequent episodes will feature such notable chefs as Cindy Pawlcyn, Rick Moonen, Anita Lo, Michael Cimarusti, Elizabeth Falkner, Wylie Dufresne, Mark Peel, Michael Chiarello, Roy Yamaguchi, Graham Elliot Bowles, Wilo Benet, Art Smith, Suzanne Tracht, Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson, Nils Noren, Rick Bayless, John Besh, Jonathan Waxman, Ludo Lebebvre, and Douglas Rodriguez. (Whew.)

Sadly, Tom Collichio isn't presiding over the judges' table on this spin-off but the contestants must instead contend with the sophisticated palates of Observer critic Jay Rayner, New York Magazine's legendary Gael Greene, and Saveur editor-in-chief James Oseland. No slouches theses.

The production values are just as high for Top Chef Masters as any Top Chef episode, or indeed any Magical Elves production and the pacing is slick and fast. Some might chafe from the alteration in format, with only four chefs competing at a time, but I think it works here, at least for the first few rounds of elimination.

So who will walk away the ultimate winner of Top Chef Masters? It's way too early to say but I will say that the first episode has made me hungry with anticipation for more. Prepare to be dazzled by these masters.







Top Chef Masters premieres tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on Bravo.