Los Angeles Times: "Larry David talks about putting 'Seinfeld' back together for 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'"

Some more self-promotion this morning as the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker has today run my first piece for their website, an interview with Curb Your Enthusiasm creator/star Larry David.

I caught up with David earlier this week to discuss Season Seven of Curb (which launches Sunday evening), that Seinfeld reunion, Larry's relationships with Cheryl and Loretta, sacred cows, and much more.

You can read the piece in full here at the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site.

Curb Your Enthusiasm's seventh season launches Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Same Old Scene: A Tear in the Veil on the Season Premiere of FOX's "Fringe"

Oh, Fringe, I've missed you.

I've had a sometimes thwarted love affair with FOX's sci-fi drama Fringe over the course of its bumpy first season but last night's second season premiere ("A New Day in the Old Town"), written by J.J. Abrams and Akiva Goldsman and directed by Akiva Goldsman, points to a new direction for the series and a better use of some of its underutilized characters. (You can read my advance review of the second season opener here.)

While some of the twists were somewhat predictable and one in particular extremely far-fetched (more on that in a bit), the episode did feature one of the very best cold opens on the series to date and tantalizingly set up a new story arc for Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) while keeping the exact nature of her discussion with the shadowy William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) a mystery for another day.

Now that the episode has aired, we can discuss specifics about the plot, so let's get to it.

Loved the opening sequence with the idling car and Olivia suddenly getting propelled out of nowhere through the windshield. Very suspenseful and unexpected, given the last time we saw her she was standing with William Bell in the parallel world's version of the Twin Towers. Exactly the sort of way I want to start the season of Fringe.

Nice bait-and-switch with Olivia as well. I began to think for a few minutes that this wasn't our Olivia Dunham at all but the one from the parallel world and that she would actually die right in front of us and the Fringe Division would be forced to mourn her death, even as she's actually alive in the other world. (It could have been a nice parallel to Walter kidnapping that world's Peter.)

But instead, just as Olivia's life support is about to be switched off, she regains consciousness, chanting in Greek and speaking about the mission that "He" gave her. But the details are hazy and unclear. Just what did William Bell tell Olivia in their meeting? Hmmm...

I'm thrilled that the writers have wisely given Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) more to do. For far too long and despite the ability of Jackson, Peter has remained more or less one-dimensional, the go-to guy for clandestine hook-ups and calming down Walter (John Noble) during his tantrums but little else. No more. In just a few minutes, Peter has shifted from lone wolf to team leader, saving Broyles' skin during a sub-committee investigation of the Fringe Division and possibly saving all of them with a last-ditch effort to prove that their methods have yielded results.

But he's also quick to point out (thankfully) that the team has been way too reactive, has sat back and watched The Pattern unfold and responded to phenomena, rather than getting out there and trying to prevent these horrific occurrences from happening in the first place. Yes, there's a place for investigation and research, but I too want to see Olivia and Co. being more aggressive and dogged. There's a time and place to sit by and let things happen around you and a time for action. I'm glad that the writers opted to give this charge to Peter, enabling him to take a leap of maturity and leadership and landing him with a new responsibility among the group. "From now on, we’re calling the shots," says Peter. "We’re done reacting." Well done.

Likewise, we've finally gotten some further characterization for Broyles (the uber-talented Lance Reddick) who had been reduced in Season One to being the group's exposition dump, informing the team (and the audience) about the Pattern's latest case in a way that was clunky and frustrating for long-time viewers. (Sadly, however, we still have to contend with being hit over the head with exposition in the season opener with the subtlety of an anvil by Meghan Markle's newbie Agent Jessup.)

I'm extremely intrigued by the kiss that passes between Broyles and Blair Brown's Nina Sharp. It clearly points to some romantic entanglement between the two in the past and I hope that it's a subplot that crops up more and more throughout the season. Broyles and Sharp have been two of the more mysterious characters but they've also been largely tangential to the plot, existing only to further the action at the expense of characterization. Let's hope that the writers see the need to deepen their respective roles and give Reddick and Brown a real chance to shine.

Speaking of Markle's Jessup, I'm not in love with the character. She comes across as a little too eager and gifted and the writers still haven't fleshed out Jasika Nicole's Astrid Farnsworth enough to give us yet another supremely gifted junior agent. Not sure what to make of her use of the Bible, either.

The shapeshifter this week was extremely creepy, given the way that he was able (with a nightmare device) to smoosh his face into that of another person. Loved the typewriter scene where our shifter was able to send and receive messages to the other world. It was exactly the type of scene that we should see more of on Fringe, expressing a heightened sense of dread and horrific possibility. (Kudos to Goldsman for staging it so deftly.)

Still, one of the real head-scratchers of the episode was the reveal that the shifter had, amid the chaos of Olivia's attempted assassination, taken the place of Agent Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo). I get that this guy is a quick-witted hit man with an array of skills and abilities from a dangerous world but I couldn't buy that he just happened to have stashed the murdered nurse's body in the same room as where he jumps Charlie and was able to (A) kill Charlie, (B) remove his clothes, (C) put on Charlie's clothes, and (D) conceal Charlie's corpse in the amount of time it took Peter to run down that hallway. I'm all for a willing suspension of disbelief but this was way too jagged a pill to swallow, even for Fringe. (Shades of Alias' Freplicate, no?)

I'm going to miss Charlie. Acevedo had precious little to do in the role but I did like the camaraderie he shared with Olivia. It is pretty obvious that the story he recounts to Olivia--about his near-death experience with a lunatic assault victim that resulted in the death of his partner--will come into play as Olivia slowly realizes that the person claiming to be Charlie Francis isn't her old friend but a stranger.

While the subplot about Walter making custard for Peter's birthday could have been a throwaway one, Noble imbues the action with a real poignancy for what's been lost, forgetting that this Peter never grew up liking custard at all. It's a series of small moments that pay off in that final understanding going on inside Walter's head as he "remembers" just what he's done and the price he's had to pay. I'm glad that we are seeing more of this storyline come to fruition.

And that Greek phrase Olivia chanted earlier? Well, it turns out that it's something that Peter's mother used to say to him when he was younger ("Be a better man than your father"). The identity of Peter's mother has been shrouded in mystery since the beginning of the series and this plot twist points to something very interesting developing between the Bishops. Could it be that Bell knows about Walter's sin and that this message is intended for Peter? We'll have to wait and see...

What did you think of last night's season premiere? Were you impressed by Fringe's new direction and an infusion of proactive energy into the plot? Will you miss Acevedo's Charlie? Just what does Bell want from Olivia? And how far will his enemies go to prevent Olivia from recounting this information? Discuss.

Next week on Fringe ("Night of Desirable Objects"), a highway construction worker in rural Pennsylvania goes missing when he is mysteriously drawn into an underground tunnel filled with human remains; Walter explores the possibility of simulating travel between realities on frogs; the team travels to the crime scene to unearth evidence when it becomes clear this is not an isolated incident.

Talk Back: Series Premiere of NBC's "Community"

Just curious to see how many of you tuned in to watch the series premiere of NBC's new comedy series Community.

You had a chance to read my advance review of the pilot episode from back in May as well as catch my video interviews with the cast of Community (from my recent set visit), but now that the pilot episode has aired, I'm curious to know what you thought of the series.

Did you fall for the loopy charms of the series, created by Dan Harmon? Did you enjoy Community's mix of deadpan humor and emotional heart? Are you already head over heels for its collection of eccentric characters? Does it fit in with the rest of NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup, including Parks and Recreation, The Office, and 30 Rock?

And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week? (And please do, as next week's episode is even funnier!)

Talk back here.

Next week on Community ("Spanish 101"), Jeff conspires to be Britta's partner in a team project for Senor Chang (Ken Jeong) but winds up with an undesirable partner that he can't shake; Shirley and Annie help Britta with her latest social justice cause.

Channel Surfing: Vinnie Jones Spies "Chuck," Lip-Lock Causes Sparks on "Fringe," Showtime Could Unleash "The Borgias," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

British actor and former footballer Vinnie Jones (Loaded) will guest star on an upcoming installment of NBC's action-comedy series Chuck, which returns with its third season next year. Jones will play Karl Stromberg, "an expert hit man with a soft side," on the Warner Bros. Television-produced series. Jones has also been attached to an untitled new series based on a comic book by Howard Chaykin about an "international spy who teams with his long-lost daughters he never knew existed." That project hails from Elevate Entertainment and Prodigy Pictures, the Canadian production company behind NBC mini-series XIII. (Hollywood Reporter)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams has the scoop behind "that kiss" in the second season premiere of FOX's Fringe last night. According to Abrams, the lip-lock didn't come as a surprise to the two stars of the FOX drama, as they claim that a romantic past between the two characters was part of the subtext between the two over the last season. (Yes, I'm being pretty vague here but I don't want to spoil the show for anyone who didn't see it last night.) (TVGuide.com)

Showtime is said to be circling Neil Jordan's period drama The Borgias, which revolves around the scandals and vendettas of the murderous Italian Renaissance family. Project, from DreamWorks Television and ImageMovers, is written and executive produced by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) and executive produced by Justin Flavey, Darryl Frank, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, and Steve Starkey; it's being viewed as a likely successor to The Tudors, which will wrap its fourth and final season this spring. (Variety)

ABC has ordered a pilot script for an untitled one-hour comedy about the lives of Las Vegas magicians Penn Jillette and Teller that will star the duo as versions of themselves who are magicians at night and "reluctant detectives" by day. Project, from Warner Bros. Television, will be written and executive produced by Leonard Dick (House) and Jillette and Teller. The network also ordered a pilot for an untitled multi-camera relationship comedy, from former Friends scribe Shana Goldberg-Meehan and Warner Bros. Television, about two sisters, one of whom is in a long-term relationship but unwed, the other who becomes pregnant and quickly marries her boyfriend. They also gave out a script order to another untitled multi-camera comedy, this time from ABC Studios and writers Brett Paesel and Marsh McCall, about a recent divorcee who attempts to rebuild her life by taking an unusual job. (Variety)

Elsewhere at ABC, the Alphabet has released the first seventeen minutes of its new drama series FlashForward, which is available for streaming viewing on Hulu. Coincidence that the network opted to release such a lengthy look just after the entire pilot leaked on Bit Torrent? Hmmm... (Hulu)

USA is said to be overhauling drama series In Plain Sight, hiring John McNamara (Jericho) as the series' new showrunner. McNamara, who signed an overall deal with studio Universal Cable Prods., will replace former showrunner and series creator David Maples, who will now step into the role of consultant, as will executive producer Paul Stupin. According to Variety's Michael Schneider, "the show will probably add a few new characters to the mix as viewers get to know more of McCormack's backstory and more of the other marshals in the office," and "more of the Witness Protection Program participants' stories may also be examined, and Wachtel said the show will likely take more advantage of the stark, desert New Mexico landscape." (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan investigates the weakness of will-they-or-won't-they television couples, discussing "whether shows should constantly tease a couple possibly getting together and never actually do it," after expressing her frustration with the Booth/Brennan non-coupling on FOX's Bones. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Thora Birch (Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story) and Nancy Travis (The Bill Engvall Show) have been cast in Lifetime telepic Pregnancy Pact, which is inspired by actual events involving a teen pregnancy boom at a Massachusetts high school. Project, which will air next year, is written by Pamela Davis and Teena Booth and will be directed by Rosemary Rodriguez. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other MOW news, Billy Ray Cyrus has been cast in Hallmark Channel telepic Christmas in Canaan, about the unlikely friendship that develops in 1960s Texas between DJ (Zak Ludwig), who is white, and Rodney (Jaishon Fisher), who is black. Cyrus will play DJ's father in the telepic, which is based on a novel written by Kenny Rogers and Donald Davenport and is slated to air in December. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Community Spirit: Televisionary Talks with the Cast of NBC's "Community"

"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm." - Henrik Ibsen

NBC's latest comedy series Community, which launches tonight, has a unique setting--community college--that serves as a microcosm for society at large, offering one of the most ethnically diverse casts on television in an organic way.

It's also absolutely hysterical to boot. A plus for a new comedy that's landed a plum spot on NBC's Thursday night lineup. It's incredibly droll, filled with throwaway lines, deadpan humor, and layered, recurring gags that reward astute viewers.

I had the opportunity to watch the first two episodes of Community and am already in love with the witty and winsome series, a rare beast that offers both sharp bite and tenderness of heart, sometimes right after each other. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here.)

I visited the set of Community a few weeks back and spent some time with the cast while they shot Episode 104, entitled "Social Psychology." It's gratifying to see a cast so even-tempered, sweet, and, well, just plain fun as that of Community.

Below you'll find a nine-minute video package I culled from the footage I shot with Community cast members Joel McHale, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, and Danny Pudi as they discuss their characters, the sexual tension between McHale's Jeff and Jacobs' Britta, and why Community is unique.



Community launches tonight at 9:30 pm ET/PT on NBC.

Tune-In Reminder: Thursday Night Premiere Bonanza

Just a quick reminder that there's a ton of new television launching tonight, between series premieres, season premieres, and a secret advance peek at a new FX comedy series kicking off next year.

So what should you be sure to set your DVR for tonight? Here goes?

Season Five of Bones kicks off tonight at 8 pm ET/PT with a premiere ("Harbingers in a Fountain"), in which Brennan returns from a dig in Guatemala; Angela's psychic, Avalon Harmonia (Cyndi Lauper) reveals while reading Angela's tarot cards that there are multiple bodies buried under a Washington, DC fountain; Sweets certifies Booth mentally fit to return to duty after his brain surgery, but Booth is still experiencing some side effects from his coma. (You can read my advance review of the season premiere here.)

At 8:30 pm, it's the start of Season Two of comedy Parks and Recreation on NBC. (You can read my advance review of the first two episodes of the season here.)

Fringe returns to FOX at 9 pm tonight with a second season premiere ("A New Day in the Old Town") in which Peter unknowingly races against time to gain information about Olivia's visit to the parallel world and Walter reenters the lab to cook up a bit of fringe science, and some custard for Peter's birthday. (You can read my advance review of the season opener here.

Wait, there's more...

The Office kicks off its new season at 9 pm with "Rumors," in which Michael spreads some rumors around the office, including one rumor that just happens to be true.

At 9:30 pm, NBC launches its newest comedy, Community, about a lawyer (Joel McHale) whose degree has been revoked forms a study group at a community college where he has enrolled in order to obtain a legitimate bachelor's degree. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here.)

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns to FX at 10 pm with the start of its fifth season ("The Gang Exploits the Mortgage Crisis") as Frank, Mac and Dennis try their hand at real estate; Dee arranges to be a surrogate mother for a rich couple; Charlie squares off with a lawyer. (You can read my review of the first four episodes here.)

Cap off the evening with a sneak peek of FX's animated comedy series Archer, about an international man of mystery and his eccentric co-workers, which launches early next year.

Hitch Your Wagon to a Star: Camping and the Great Outdoors on "Top Chef: Las Vegas"

I'm not exactly a fan of camping.

So I can only imagine how I would have fared had I been thrown into the challenge facing the cheftestants on this week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Camping"), where they were tasked with creating a high-end lunch for twenty-four diners under some rather adverse conditions.

Namely: outside in the heat over open flames.

Some chefs attempted to take the easy route and make ceviche, incorrectly thinking that the acid-cured fish would be just the thing to cool down some cowboys on the ranch after a long morning. Not quite. Others realized that they needed to stick to their own flavor profiles and aesthetics and offer up dishes that could work in white-tablecloth restaurants but that could be tweaked slightly for the ranch.

So how did the chefs perform this week? Let's discuss.

Former Top Chef Masters contestant Tim Love was on hand this week as guest judge and he presided over a Quickfire Challenge that stymied many of the contestants. Given forty-five minutes, they were told to prepare a dish using cactus, an ingredient which most of them hadn't worked with prior to this challenge. Suffice it say, cactus is not a forgiving ingredients: it's prickly and slimy and special care needs to be paid to how it's prepared for that reason.

Surprisingly, the top spots went to some rather unexpected contenders this week, with Laurine, Mike I., and Mattin ending up with the top three dishes. Laurine cooked a glazed pork chop with cactus salsa, Mattin offered up a breaded cactus, with halibut, red cabbage puree, and tequila-pickled cactus, and Mike I. delivered a dish of cactus and tuna ceviche. What did all three have in common? They all played up the cactus as the main star of the dish rather than just one of an assortment of components on the plate. And, frustratingly, Mike I. took away the win for this high-stakes Quickfire Challenge, landing himself $15,000 and an even more inflated ego.

But if the chefs thought that they would be leaving the outdoors as it were behind for the Elimination Challenge, they had another thing coming as they'd be camping out overnight and then cooking outside the following day with limited cooking equipment and open flames.

Some of the chefs really rose to the occasion this week. Perhaps gaining more confidence, Ashley turned out her best dish so far, a seared halibut with avocado mousse, bacon, and braised romaine, which was meant to mimic the flavors of a BLT. It was a conceptual dish that Ashley made sing, winning over the diners and the judges alike. I'm not sure why Ashley has tended toward the bottom of the pack (nerves perhaps?) as she often has some inventive and unique ideas (cactus doughnuts, anyone?) and needs to push herself more often.

Bryan took the brief to heart and created a stunning dish that not only looked as though it were prepared in a restaurant but could have been served at a fine dining establishment, serving a roasted pork loin with corn polenta, dandelion greens, and glazed rutabega. How he managed to turn out such a gorgeous and confident dish in the middle of the desert (and took that pork so perfectly) remains a mystery to me. No shock at all that he took home the win here for his confident, upscale dish. Well done.

Laurine once again surprised by landing in the top four this round; she's been such a non-entity (and really should have been sent home for that awful pasta salad two weeks ago) that it's surprising to suddenly see praise being given to her now. Could it be that she's realized what she needs to do in order to stand out and deliver some good dishes? Perhaps. Here, she cooked up a sauteed arctic char with tomatillo salsa and grilled potato that perfectly captured the smoke of the grill and was appropriate rancher fare, if not as complex or stunning as some of the dishes her competitors offered. Sometimes, folks, simple is not bad...

Finally, Michael Voltaggio went in a completely different direction as everyone else and served a dashi with miso-cured black cod, watermelon, and shittakes, a stunning dish that inverted the concept of ranch food and was a stunning display of technique, texture, and sophisticated vision.

Sadly, the same can't be said for the bottom three contestants. Robin shocked the judges with the lousiness of her dish, grilled romaine salad with drunken prawns and spicy chicken sausage, a jumble of ideas and lackluster execution that had one judge describe the taste of her shrimp as "chlorine." (Ouch.) Ron offered a sweet coconut-lime tuna ceviche served in a coconut shell with a Haitian mojito; while the judges didn't mind the ceviche, they were adamant that the mojito was just plain awful.

And then there was Mattin. The Basque chef really hasn't impressed me too much over the past five episodes and it was hardly a shocker that he landed in the bottom three for his trio of ceviche: salmon with apple, spicy tuna, and cod with corn. The cod was so raw and just so inedible that Tom actually spit it out for fear of getting sick from warm, uncooked fish. What was shocking, however, was that Mattin said he had tasted the three ceviches and liked them. There is something to be said for taste, but it's another thing altogether to taste something vile as a chef and say that it's good and that you are proud of your dish. (That Mattin thought it was a winning dish was a head-scratcher if there was ever one.)

Ultimately, the ceviche spelled curtains for Mattin, who was told to pack his knives and go. I really wasn't sure in the end if it would be Mattin or Robin who would get the boot and I have to say that I've yet to be won over by either of them or Ron.

What did you think of this week's episode? Would you have sent Mattin home? Discuss.

Next week on Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Penn & Teller"), the chefs must work their own magic when asked to deconstruct a vintage recipe and re-imagine its components into signature dishes for magicians Penn and Teller.

Channel Surfing: Sissy Spacek Finds "Big Love," Saffron Burrows Circles "Criminal Intent," Alan Ball Keeps "Blood" Subplot a Possibility, and Mo

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I had an amazing time last night at The Killers concert at the Hollywood Bowl but am a wee bit exhausted this morning as a result. That said, onto the headlines.

Oscar winner Sissy Spacek will join the cast of HBO's drama series Big Love next season in a multiple-episode story arc where she will play a "powerful Washington D.C. lobbyist." Spacek's casting comes on the heels of announcements that Bella Thorne will replace Jolean Wejbe on the series next season and that Ben Koldyke will appear as Dale, a "state-appointed trustee and love interest for Alby (Matt Ross)." Big Love launches its fourth season early in 2010. (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

Saffron Burrows (My Own Worst Enemy) is said to be in talks to join the cast of USA's Law & Order: Criminal Intent, where it's thought likely that she would play a new partner for Jeff Goldblum's Detective Zach Nichols. (Hollywood Reporter)

SPOILER! True Blood executive producer Alan Ball has told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello that he's open to developing a certain subplot in Charlaine Harris' novels in the series, namely that Bill came to Bon Temps to seduce Sookie in order to get her to work for Sophie-Anne. "It’s certainly something that I found really compelling in the books," Ball told Ausiello. "I was like, 'Wow.' But I can’t really tell you what I’m going to do story-wise. So much of the appeal of the show depends on the element of surprise." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Adam Shankman has been made a resident judge on FOX's reality competition series So You Think You Can Dance alongside Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy as of the October 27th episode. (Variety)

Collette Wolfe (Observe and Report) and Smith Cho (Knight Rider) have been cast in NBC's midseason comedy series 100 Questions, where they will replace Elizabeth Ho and Joy Suprano. (Hollywood Reporter)

MTV has ordered twelve half-hour episodes of Greg the Bunny spin-off Warren the Ape, which will follow the depraved puppet as he tries to resurrect his Hollywood career following the cancellation of Greg the Bunny. Series, executive produced by Spencer Chinoy, Sean Baker, Dan Milano, George Plamondon, Betsey Schechter, Kevin Chinoy, and Francesca Silvestri, will launch next year. (Variety)

Lifetime has ordered a plot for culinary competition series Search for the Greatest American Recipe, which will follow chef/television personality Tyler Florence as he travels to seven American regions to find interesting and original recipes; cooks will then compete head-to-head in a cook-off. Pilot, from ITV Studios, will begin shooting this weekend. (Variety)

TruTV has ordered six episodes of reality series All Worked Up, which follows several people as they work jobs that "get them yelled at, spit on and sometimes assaulted," including a process server, a vehicle repossessor, an amusement park head of security, and a housing community code enforcer, among others. Series, from RDF USA, will launch October 19th. (Hollywood Reporter)

DirecTV has acquired three seasons of gritty Australian drama series Underbelly, which tracks the development of the Oz underworld from the 1970s to the present day. Series will air on 101 Network and will launch on February 10th, following the fourth season finale of Friday Night Lights. (Variety)

TLC has ordered twelve episodes of docuseries Flowers Uncut with Jeff Leatham, which will follow the floral designer as he attempts to build an empire and "conquer the New York event design scene." Series, from Original Media, will launch on November 4th. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

The Daily Beast: "The Magic of Mad Men"

Another quick bit of indulgent self-promotion this morning.

Please be sure to check out my latest piece for The Daily Beast, entitled "The Magic of Mad Men," featuring a one-on-one interview with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.

It's the latest installment of an Emmy story package at The Daily Beast and features a Q&A with Matthew Weiner. The period drama is up for thirteen nominations this year, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor (Jon Hamm), Outstanding Lead Actress (Elisabeth Moss), Outstanding Supporting Actor (John Slattery), and Outstanding Writing, among others.

You can read the piece in full here. Be sure to read the whole intro for Mad Men and then click on the gallery to read the Q&A.

Road Trips, Gypsies, and Duels: An Advance Review of Season Five of FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

There's a chaotic energy to the raucous comedy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia that's missing from the airwaves between seasons. The gleefully surreal series excels at creating uncomfortable and often exaggeratedly absurd scenarios for its quintet of selfish, self-absorbed lowlifes.

Fortunately, the gang from Paddy's Pub returns tomorrow evening for a fifth season that's overflowing with painful humor, bizarro plots, and one of the funniest things I've seen on television all year. (No small praise that.)

I had the opportunity a few weeks back to watch the first four episodes from Season Five of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and I quickly devoured them in one marathon sitting that had me hungry for more.

In its four seasons to date, Sunny has taken an extreme pleasure in making its leading characters as depraved and egocentric as possible. Like Seinfeld before it, these are some rather obliviously inconsiderate individuals; however I think that the gang--played masterfully by Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito--would be more likely to stab Jerry and Co. with a broken bottle than find some semblance of camaraderie.

And that in a nutshell is part of the enduring appeal of Sunny: these people are far worse than you or I could ever be, but there's a twisted, vicarious experience in watching their selfish, drunken, and sometimes brutally self-absorbed interactions with one another. That the actors do so with some of the most deadpan and hysterical dialogue on television and so completely embody these characters in every respect serves to ground the series in some semblance of reality.

Reality this season includes home ownership, surrogacy, an intervention, a movie script, and one of the most memorable and hilarious road trips ever to hit the screen (big or small). The season's second episode "The Gang Hits the Road," written by Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day and directed by Fred Savage, may just be my favorite installment of the series to date.

Without giving too much away, I'll say that the crew attempts to take a road trip to the Grand Canyon but naturally they end up getting sidetracked in Philadelphia, where their adventures lead them to the Italian Market and several other locales. Chaos (and hilarity) ensue. While I always laugh whilst watching Sunny this episode had me roaring with laughter and clutching my stomach from howling too much. It's definitely going down as one of the funniest half-hours on any network this year.

Suffice it to say, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia hasn't lost any of its off-kilter charm with age, instead becoming one of the most savagely funny series on television. You'd be wise to switch your television from Jay Leno to some real comedy at 10 pm. You'll thank me in the morning, even if you hurt from laughing too much.



Season Five of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia launches Thursday evening at 10 pm ET/PT on FX.

"This Isn't 'Melrose Place'": Poison, High Heels, and Take Charge Attitude on "Flipping Out"

Is it just me or does Jenni Pulos kick some serious butt?

Jeff Lewis' oft put-upon assistant Jenni doesn't really get the credit she deserves from her meticulous employer, who is far more likely to criticize her endlessly for the slightest error than to praise her for all of the hard work she actually does. That is, when he's not hitting her in the face with a mobile phone headset or dredging up some painful memories of her shifty ex-husband at the drop of a hat.

However, this week's episode of Bravo's addictive reality series Flipping Out ("Jenni 911") had Jenni stepping in to Jeff's shoes for a day (more on that in a bit), allowing both she and Jeff to have a new appreciation for the work that the other does. Could it be that a change in their relationship is on the horizon? Knowing Jeff, probably not. But it's still pretty nice that he recognized Jenni's effort and ability.

The main issue this week on Flipping Out was of course Jeff's alleged poisoning at the hand of Zoila, who did appear to have unwittingly given Jeff food poisoning by feeding him bacon that was, well, several months old. The stomach-churning interlude ended up leaving Jeff doubled over in pain and necessitated him taking a rare day off from work. A day that he spent accusing Zoila in no uncertain terms of trying to kill him with past-their-date pork products.

I honestly believe that Jeff thought that the entire office would grind to a halt with him out of commission, especially given his earlier bad-mouthing of Jenni to new assistant Sarah, a very awkward and uncomfortable conversation that was so completely inappropriate, not to mention just plain myopic.

Fortunately, Jeff does have an ace up his sleeve and he needs to realize that it's Jenni herself. Donning some serious black-rimmed glasses and a head-to-toe black ensemble, Jenni effortlessly stepped into Jeff's shoes, delegating responsibilities to the staff (including little-seen design intern Trace) and heading out to the job sites to keep an eye on the firm's current projects. The way that she dealt with confused contractor Vlad and confronted their newest client about cash (and shut down the job site altogether when it was clear that they weren't going to get paid) proved that she's absorbed a hell of a lot of knowledge and confidence from Jeff and that she can not only get the job done but do it well.

I hope that Jeff watched last night's episode and saw how well that Jenni performed under an immense amount of pressure and that she represented him professionally and authoritatively on the job sites. I understand that he's frustrated with Jenni's situation right now (and probably feels a little sting that she's concentrating more on acting than on his business) and with his financial situation as a whole but he does have a tendency to take things out on Jenni rather than on recognizing her potential, loyalty, and capability.

Jeff should have promoted Jenni a long time ago. And maybe with the addition of new assistant Sarah, he can train someone to become his new right-hand woman. But the fact remains that Jenni has put in seven and a half years of hard work without much reward and Jeff Lewis' office runs smoothly because of her.

For his part, I was impressed that Jeff did compliment Jenni on how well she did and offer her some uncharacteristic praise for her performance at the end of the day. The look of pride (mixed with a little shock, I'm sure) on Jenni's face spoke volumes about their relationship.

Speaking of relationships, next week's episode looks to continue to find cracks in the partnership between Jeff and Ryan, who's been somewhat conspicuously absent from much of the action this season. And likely adding to the stress Jeff is experiencing is the disappearance of his newest client, after he offered to front her the $25,000 necessary to complete the renovation job.

Not good. Not good at all.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Friend or Foe"), Jeff turns to his father for advice after he learns some disturbing information about Ryan.

Flipping Out Preview: Answering Jeff's Prayers:



Flipping Out Preview: Lewd and Obscene:



Flipping Out Preview: No More Energy to Yell:

Channel Surfing: Ray Wise to Play with "Dollhouse," "BSG: The Plan" Broadcast Delayed, Ian Somerhalder Returns to "Lost," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. I'm a little bit worse for wear this morning after a fantastic premiere party for HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, so let's get to the headlines...

Let's just hope he's not as terrifying as Leland Palmer: Ray Wise (Reaper) has been cast in a potentially recurring role on FOX's Dollhouse, where he will play Howard, described by Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello as "an intelligent higher-up in the Dollhouse who has huge presence and humor." Fingers crossed that Wise gets the greenlight to return on a regular basis. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Syfy has opted to delay the broadcast of Battlestar Galactica prequel telepic The Plan until a later date, thought to be likely in 2010. The two-hour film, written by Jane Espenson and directed by Edward James Olmos, was slated to air in November, according to reports from Syfy president Dave Howe. The decision hasn't altered the home video release of the two-hour film, which is available for purchase and rental beginning October 27th. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Entertainment Weekly's Mandi Bierly is reporting that Ian Somerhalder is returning for the sixth and final season of ABC's Lost... or at least for a few segments. "I’m literally getting on a plane in 45 minutes to fly to Hawaii," Solmerhalder told Entertainment Weekly. "The only thing I can say is that I’m going back for several episodes... I have a script that weighs like 200 pounds, but I don’t really know what’s happening." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

FX will offer a sneak peek of its new animated comedy Archer tomorrow (Thursday) night after the fifth season premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Archer, which features the voices of Aisha Tyler, Jon Benjamin, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, and Judy Greer, is slated to launch tentatively in January. (Variety)

FOX has given a put pilot order to an untitled multi-camera workplace comedy, from executive producer Ron Howard and writer Brent Forrester (The Office), about the employees of an Internal Revenue Service district office. "It's a classic workplace show; the model for it is Taxi," Forrester told the Hollywood Reporter. "In essence, it's a group of eclectic characters who have come to the job from different paths and who represent different points of view and different voices... L.A. Law had lawsuits, and CSI has murders; this show has audits, tax collection and special ops, with the FBI against organized crime and drug dealers." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC is developing political comedy pilot Freshman, from 20th Century Fox Television, writer/executive producer Greg Malins (Friends), and executive producers Arianna Huffington and Roy Sekoff, about three newly elected members of Congress who share an apartment in D.C. (Variety)

Jill Scott (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) will star in Lifetime telepic Sins of the Mother, about a graduate student who returns home to confront her alcoholic and abusive mother (Scott), only to learn that the woman is now sober and has a three-year-old daughter. Telepic is based on Carleen Brice's novel "Orange Mint and Honey" and was adapted by Elizabeth Hunter. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Far From (Being) the Pits: An Advance Review of Season Two of NBC's "Parks and Recreation"

I'll admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of the first few episodes of NBC's single-camera comedy series Parks and Recreation, when the series initially debuted earlier this year.

The first few episodes seemed like a stilted knockoff of creator Greg Daniels and Mike Schur's own fellow NBC comedy The Office, populated by cartoonish characters, and an unnecessary mockumentary angle that didn't offer any nuance or develop the characters or their situations.

But then something rather miraculous occurred: the series improved in the last batch of episodes in its freshman season, toning down the hidden camera/talking heads format and transforming its leading character, Pawnee's Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), into a more three-dimensional and complex individual, rather than a bumbling female Michael Scott type.

I had the opportunity last week to watch the first two episodes of Parks and Recreation's second season, which launches later this week, and I have to say that the series has found its footing and built upon the creative success the series found in the latter part of its first year, offering a wickedly funny comedy about local politics and small town kooks.

If you missed the first season of Parks and Recreation, here's what you need to know. Poehler plays Leslie Knope, a hyper-ambitious public official in Pawnee, Indiana's Department of Parks and Recreation (hence the title), whose goal is to transform an unsightly pit in the middle of the town into a public park, a Sisphyean feat that will likely never, ever be accomplished. But it's a necessary MacGuffin to bring Leslie together with some of the other characters, including Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), a local nurse who lives next to the pit and whose layabout boyfriend Andy (Chris Pratt) fell in the pit and broke both his legs. Ann and Leslie form a rather endearing friendship, even as they find themselves enmeshed in an unofficial love triangle with city planner Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider).

Still with me?

The second season picks up shortly after the events of the first season. If you stuck around and enjoyed the back three or so episodes of the freshman season, you'll definitely enjoy what's to come. The second season's first episode ("Pawnee Zoo") not only ranks as the best episode of the series to date but also is absolutely hysterical, much more so than the fifth season opener for The Office, in fact.

The humor is not only deadpan and played absolutely straight but it's also deftly layered. A publicity stunt in which Leslie marries two penguins at the local zoo becomes a scandal when it's discovered that the penguins in question are both male and Leslie becomes an unwitting poster girl for gay marriage. It's a canny take on a contemporary issue and one that the writers handle adroitly while never losing sight of Leslie's dual needs of being loved by everybody and getting ahead in politics.

The second episode, "The Stakeout," likewise keeps the bar high in terms of humor, quality, and characterization, managing to weave together romance, hot-button political issues (racial profiling, drug control), a zany subplot, and a new romantic interest for Leslie (the hysterical Louis C.K.). Despite the episodes being self-contained, there's a nice slight serialization occurring here and it makes for some deeper investment on the part of the audience.

Leslie not only changes throughout her experiences (though at her core she's still one hell of a conflicted individual) but so too do the interpersonal relationships between the series' core cast. The second episode gives each of them an opportunity to shine, giving Aziz Ansari's Tom Haverford, Aubrey Plaza's April Ludgate, and Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson some nice moments as the writers juggle several subplots at the same time as furthering the romantic quadrangle between Leslie, Mark, Ann, and Andy in some rather unexpected and intriguing ways.

If these installments are any indication, we're in store for a fantastically funny and deftly written season of Parks and Recreation, one that looks poised to overtake The Office in terms of savvy humor and biting wit. Michael Scott, watch your back...



Season Two of Parks and Recreation launches Thursday night at 8:30 pm ET/PT on NBC.

Channel Surfing: Helen Hunt Could Replace Maura Tierney, Denis O'Hare Crowned King on "Blood," "Gravity" Still Floating at ABC, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Following the departure of Maura Tierney from the cast of NBC's Parenthood, producers have reportedly approached Helen Hunt about replacing Tierney on the Jason Katims-executive produced drama series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hunt "is said to be considering the offer, which would mark her return to series television and to NBC, where she starred on the comedy Mad About You for seven years before segueing into features." (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Denis O'Hare (Brothers & Sisters) has been cast as a series regular next season on HBO's True Blood, where he will play the Vampire King of Mississippi. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

(For more on Season Three of True Blood, you can read my exclusive one-on-one interview with Alan Ball here.)

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Futon Critic is reporting that ABC has not yet canceled its sci-fi romantic drama Defying Gravity, produced by Fox Television Studios, though it's not clear if or when ABC will air the remaining installments. "Nicole Marostica, the show's publicist for the network, has confirmed the Alphabet hasn't pulled the plug on the show and is still mulling scheduling options going forward," wrote Futon Critic staffers. (Futon Critic)

HBO is developing two historical mini-series, including Ida Tarbell, a biopic focusing on the early 20th century female investigative journalist Ida Tarbell, who exposed the Standard Oil monopoly. Mini will be produced by Harpo Films, with Oprah Winfrey and Kate Forte to executive produce and Mimosa Jones to write the script. The pay cabler is also developing The Black Panthers with Carl Franklin attached to write and direct the project. (Variety)

Eric Balfour (24) has joined the cast of the CW's The Beautiful Life in a multiple-episode story arc, where he will play Eric "a charming rival to Claudia (Elle Macpherson) at a competing modeling agency." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO will make the pilot of its new comedy series Bored to Death available ahead of its September 20th broadcast on a number of platforms, including HBO On Demand, iTunes, Comcast's Fancast.com, and Amazon.com. "We are very pleased with the excitement Bored to Death has generated and to capitalize on that buzz, we are looking forward to giving audiences a chance to preview the series prior to its network debut" Zach Enterlin, VP of advertising and promotion at HBO, told Broadcasting & Cable. "We feel that teaming up with our key online partners and affiliates through HBO On-Demand is a great way for us to allow viewers to discover this hilarious new show." (Broadcasting & Cable)

The Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva investigates whether the multi-camera comedy format is poised to make a comeback next season, with most of the comedy pilots ordered being multi-camera rather than single-camera. (Hollywood Reporter)

TLC has ordered six episodes of reality series Wedded to Perfection, which follow husband and wife wedding planners Jung Lee and Josh Brooks. Series, which originally ran as a special in May, will launch on October 2nd. (Variety)

Former JAG star David James Elliott has been cast in Hallmark Channel telepic Man of the House, about an advertising executive who loses his wife and his job and becomes a full-time parent to his two kids. Telepic, from Larry Levinson Prods., will air in 2010. (Hollywood Reporter)

Alchemy TV co-founder Simon Vaughan has started a new shingle, Lookout Point, whose goal is to co-produce and finance international drama both on the series and longform sides, but Vaughan has indicated that the company won't distribute the product. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Blood Bath: Televisionary Talks to "True Blood" Writer/Executive Producer Alan Ball

Still have some burning questions about last night's True Blood season finale? Or anxious to gather some clues about just what creator/executive producer Alan Ball has in store for the residents of Bon Temps when True Blood returns next summer? You've come to the right place.

I caught up with True Blood czar Alan Ball this morning to talk about last night's season finale, deconstruct the second season, and find out about what's coming up on Season Three of HBO's addictive vampire drama.

In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Ball hints at what's on the horizon for Sookie and Bill, new creatures, Sam Merlotte's quest, Jessica, a possible romance for Lafayette, the Vampire King of Mississippi, Sophie-Anne, and much, much more. Ball also told me that the writing staff had broken the fourth script for Season Three of True Blood already and that shooting is tentatively slated to begin December 3rd on the highly anticipated third season.

So what did Ball reveal about what's coming up on True Blood and what did he have to say about this season? Let's dive in, but beware: there are MAJOR SPOILERS below. (Note: Please do not reproduce this interview in full elsewhere. Quotes and excerpts are fine but please do not post the full text of this interview on message boards, websites, or elsewhere.)

Televisionary: What was the decision behind having the Maryann storyline finish out the season instead of the Dallas plot?

Alan Ball: We used the books as a template and that is sort of the way the second book is structured. Maryann is not as refined in the second book; she’s a maenad, she’s just a crazy woman running around in the woods. And we also felt like the first part of the season we had a lot of different storylines taking place in different places and then we wanted to bring them all together, bring all of our regulars together for one—something--where everyone was fighting the same fight for the last episode.

Televisionary: Was it difficult juggling the separate storylines in the first half of the season? We do have the cast split up more or less for most of the season.

Ball: You know, it wasn’t difficult. It was definitely different from the first season. But I sort of feel like, you want to do that, you want to shake the show up and do different things. You don’t want to just do the same things over and over and over again. I follow my instincts. To me, they were three really fun, interesting storylines. And then the fact that Jason sort of veered in with Bill and Sookie and then everyone came home and it all sort of came together, I actually thought it was really fun.

Televisionary: In speaking of Jason’s storyline, Anna Camp and Michael McMillian, who play the Newlins, became hugely popular with the audience. Is there a chance that the Newlins will be back?

Ball: They are so good. Of course, there’s a chance. They’re not dead. And I think they are both probably really pissed off.

Televisionary: Did you realize how much impact Godric’s death would have, despite Allan Hyde only appearing in a handful of episodes?

Ball: You know, I did because in the books, it’s really, really powerful and we tried hard to make it as powerful as it is in the books and that was a really tough role to cast because it was difficult to find an actor who looked so young but who could convey centuries of feeling and to be tired of life and tired of being alive and ready to move on. And I always thought that that was a great story and a great character. So I was not surprised; I was very moved myself. When I first saw the cut of that episode, I got a little teary, a little misted up.

Televisionary: In a season filled with heartrending and memorable moments, it definitely stands out as a powerful and profound sequence.

Ball: That whole episode is really wonderful. The episodes leading up to that one have been so filled with adventure and suspense and craziness and then I love that whole episode because there’s not only the scene with Godric and everything that’s going on with him but the Jessica stuff is really starting to heat up. And I love that scene with Jason and Sookie in the hotel, where they talk about Gran and he sort of drops his guard and you see how vulnerable he really is.

Televisionary: In that same episode, Godric’s death also enables us to see a different side of Eric. Was that a way for you and the writers to give Eric an added layer of vulnerability?

Ball: Yes, absolutely. One of the great, fun aspects of the books—and it’s become for the show as well—is the romantic tension between Bill, Sookie, and Eric. And we started off the season and we wanted to make Eric a bad-ass and I think we were very successful with that, by having him shred that guy in front of Lafayette’s face. (Laughs) And then in order to have him be a real, viable option for Sookie, you have to have some humanity there. She may be attracted to him physically, especially now that she’s had his blood, but she’s never going to go with somebody who she feels is evil or at the very least amoral. That was definitely what we were thinking of with Eric.

Televisionary: While Sookie and Bill are our romantic leads, Hoyt and Jessica offer us a very different take on vampire-human love. Did you anticipate such an incredible reaction to their storyline and specifically toward Jim Parrack and Deborah Ann Woll?

Ball: When I saw the scene [in "Scratches"] in the third episode where she walks into the bar and I saw that scene cut together, I did anticipate it. I went, wow! We really have something special here. They’ve just become a major couple on the show. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for them. Nothing is ever going to be easy for anybody on this show.

Televisionary: Season One saw Bill protecting Sookie on an almost weekly basis but in Season Two we see Sookie take a major step into adulthood and stand up for herself. How will their relationship continue to develop in Season Three, especially given with Eric’s influence over Sookie and Bill’s kidnapping?

Ball: I know exactly what’s going to happen in Season Three, because we’ve already started breaking the episodes and figuring the arc of the season. So I can’t really say without giving too much away what I think. But I’ll say this: the love between them is authentic and real, but that doesn’t mean that they will necessarily stay together. But it doesn’t mean that they won’t either, though.

Televisionary: Looking ahead to Season Three, are there are any themes or plots that you intend to employ next season? One of the more intriguing threads picked up in last night’s episode is both Sam and Sookie looking to find their roots.

Ball: Yeah, I think that whereas if we had any sort of major overarching theme for Season Two it was about the power of belief, both positive and negative. I think probably Season Three is going to be more about identity and characters really sort of coming to grips with who or what they are.

Televisionary: It seems almost like a red herring that Eric was behind Bill’s kidnapping last night. Should we be looking at any other potential suspects behind his disappearance?

Ball: I think you should always be considering all possibilities. (Laughs) That doesn’t mean that we’re not going to make the choice that is the one that’s being positioned to look like a red herring. But with this show, you never know what’s going to happen. I try to work with the writers in creating a show that when you buy the DVDs and you watch the season over again, knowing what’s going to happen, you’ll see moments where you’ll say, oh, of course. We tried to structure Season One with Rene’s identity as the killer that way, to never shine a light on it but Michael Raymond-James, who played Rene, knew from the very beginning that he was the killer. So he played it in a very subtle way so that if you watch those DVDs, now you’re like, oh, I see it. But we never want to give that away on the first go-around. I’d have to say it’s a similar situation with [Bill’s kidnapping].

Televisionary: When I interviewed Deborah Ann Woll a few months ago, she described Jason Stackhouse as “delightfully dim.” Does Jason’s killing of Eggs in the season finale reinforce that description?

Ball: (Laughs) Well, it certainly wasn’t a smart thing to do but he did it from a good place because he thought that Eggs was going to kill Andy. That’s certainly something that’s going to come back and haunt him.

Televisionary: Did you always intend Eggs to die at the end of the season? It obviously has huge repercussions for Tara.

Ball: Absolutely. We always knew that… Of course, I’m sad to loose Mehcad [Brooks], I’m sad to lose Michelle Forbes, I was very sad to lose Lois Smith but it’s a show about vampires and there’s a lot of violence. You can’t just have everybody you like just always get away because then it becomes a very different kind of a show and it loses its authenticity. Or as much authenticity as a show about vampires can have. (Laughs)

Televisionary: The body count will always be high.

Ball: Yes, there will always be a big body count on this show.

Televisionary: It’s intimated in the season finale that there’s a hidden force that’s supposedly watching over Sookie? Will we learn more about this and is this connected to that dangling plot thread about what happened to the Rattrays in the pilot?

Ball: Absolutely. Certainly, part of Sookie’s quest in Season Three, apart from trying to find Bill and find out who took him, is to figure out who and what she is. And by the end of the season, she certainly will be beginning to figure that out.

Televisionary: One of the most shocking revelations this season was the reveal that Jessica will forever be a virgin, which was incredibly upsetting. Where did this idea emanate from?

Ball: That came from a writer on staff, Raelle Tucker. It was one of those moments where it gets pitched and I sort of go, well, of course. What other show could you do that on? Well, I guess now there are several other shows you could do that on, but at that point… I had never worked on a show where that actually made perfect sense to do something like that. For me, that’s the best part of science fiction or fantasy or genre or whatever you want to call it in that you can put people in situations that most of us will not have to face in life and it’s just really, really interesting.

Televisionary: Jessica’s been through a hell of a lot this season but then she hunts and kills in the season finale. Is this normal teenage rebellion or are we seeing her go to a much darker place next season?

Ball: I don’t think you can say anything is normal teenage rebellion. Basically, all of the events of Season Two take place over eight days. So she’s still a fairly freshly-made vampire. Bill hasn’t been much of a maker and she just had a really emotional experience with Hoyt walking out on her. It’s part of her instincts as a vampire and her need to feed and her not liking Tru Blood because it’s a poor substitute and also she’s just got rage. And she’s got good reason to have rage. She got turned into a vampire against her will and then she thought she’d found a way to make that work and then all of the sudden, it’s been taken away from her. She’s only 17 or 18, so… I wouldn’t call it normal teenage acting out. (Laughs)

Televisionary: One of the more unexpected partnerships that developed this season was Jason Stackhouse and Andy Bellefleur, who offered a bit of comic relief but also a genuine, strange friendship that might be shattered by Jason’s actions in the season finale.

Ball: We’re definitely going to put some tension on them but they will continue to actually be a sort of – I don’t want to call them a team but their lives are definitely going to intersect in Season Three.

Televisionary: How many scripts have you broken for Season Three?

Ball: We’ve broken four scripts so far.

Televisionary: Are you ever surprised by anything in terms of breaking the stories that you didn’t anticipate?

Ball: This is different from Six Feet Under in that we’re working from source material and one of the reason is that Charlaine’s books are so successful is that they work. We’re starting Season Three with the third book and the books are basically Sookie’s stories because she narrates them and then we try to figure out how to bring the other characters in and keep everyone involved. In Season Two, we specifically decided to send everybody off on their own little thing and then have them reunite at the end but I don’t want to repeat that so I’m really trying to keep Season Three certainly a little more organic with the connection between the regulars.

But, no, we’re working with the source material. Like I said, a lot of Charlaine’s books just work so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. On Six Feet Under, there were always massive shifts in seasons. But again that was more of a blank slate because we weren’t basing them on any existing material.

Televisionary: Is Evan Rachel Wood a series regular next season?

Ball: No, she’s not a series regular but she definitely will appear. I know some fans thought that she wasn’t scary enough but all I can say to that is that I didn’t want to blow our wad at the top. She’s pretty scary and we’ll definitely see that. She’s crazy! I mean, that character is insane so I don’t think we’ve really seen an insane vampire yet.

Televisionary: So, we’ve seen telepaths, vampires, maenads, and shifters all turn up in Bon Temps. Any new creatures we can expect to see in Season Three?

Ball: Werewolves…

Televisionary: Are there any clues for what viewers can expect for next season?

Ball: I can tell you that we will meet the Vampire King of Mississippi and he will have an agenda with the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. We will meet werewolves, some other weres that aren’t wolves but they are not shifters either. (Laughs.) We are going to meet Sam’s blood relatives, we’re going to meet probably the nastiest vampire we’ve met yet and Lafayette might get some action, might have a little love story of his own.

True Blood's third season begins Summer 2010 on HBO.

Nice Day for a White Wedding: Endings and Beginnings on the Season Finale of "True Blood"

I don't know about you but the hellishly long wait for True Blood to return next summer is liable to kill me with anticipation.

Yes, HBO's vampire drama sunk its teeth into me in a major way this season, offering us a complex and layered series that's at once a bodice-ripping romance with bite, a series of social metaphors about religion, persecution, hatred and fear, a supernatural drama about the things that go bump in the night, a Southern Gothic drama about a backwater Louisiana town, and ultimately, a bloody good yarn.

Last night's second season finale ("Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"), written by Alexander Woo and directed by Michael Cuesta, wrapped up some of the season's frenzied storylines while setting up some rather intriguing new plot threads to be discussed in Season Three of True Blood.

So what did I think of the True Blood season finale? Grab yourself a Tru Blood, park your truck, order up some French food, and let's discuss "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'."

In my mind, True Blood thrives when it deals us a series of provocative and disparate storylines for the wide array of talented actors in the series' ensemble cast. And last night's episode adroitly set up a slew of new plot threads for characters such as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Jason, Andy, Tara, Jessica, and Sam while also tying up the overarching Maryann/frenzy plot that had hijacked the second season after the Dallas interlude.

Looking back at the season as a whole, the Dallas storyline was far more compelling and forceful than the Maryann one this season. Between its usage of the Fellowship of the Sun and Godric's sacrifice, the Dallas plot gave Sookie a proactive and integral role in the plot while also fleshing out the hierarchy of vampire culture and offering a very different side to Eric Northman, one that wasn't all terror and body-ripping but a heartbreaking vulnerability as he's forced to come to terms with the death of his maker.

Conceptually, there were some intriguing and even tantalizing elements to the Maryann plot, which offered a sobering look at not only the power of cults to prey on people's fears and insecurities (and in this case wanton lust) but also in how a town can quite literally go over the edge together, descending into abject terror and chaos. However, I did feel as though much of the action here was a bit like treading water, with a constant repeat of various townfolk engaging in licentious behavior over and over again and then promptly forgetting their wrongdoing during the light of day.

So it was with a sense of relief that we were able last night to bid farewell to malevolent maenad Maryann Forrester and get Bon Temps back to normal (or as close to normal as it will ever be, anyway). After the strength of the Dallas storyline with its spiritual heft and weight, the maenad storyline seemed somewhat more trite and less inspired as a result. Was it creepy? You bet. But I also wanted a stronger throughline here and the entire storyline seemed to wrap itself up within about the first fifteen or so minutes of the season finale.

Still, there were some fantastic moments in the climax of this storyline. The sacrifice of Sam was one, with Sam offering himself up in order to save Sookie and put an end to Maryann's reign of terror. Of course, he does so with the knowledge that he and Bill Compton will be able to kill Maryann if they position themselves just so and that Bill has promised to save Sam's life should he be skewered by Maryann's minions. Their partnership, behind the scenes though it was, was a nice touch here, given their history as romantic rivals for the love of Sookie Stackhouse. Still, I wish there had been some way that Sookie could have known about said plan and had played a more integral (rather than tangential) role in Maryann's destruction.

However, the scene between Maryann and Sam (in the guise of the horned god himself) in the woods was shocking and terrific. While I should have known that the grey ox was shifter Sam, it was still surprising to see him gore her in the midst of her ecstatic moment of completion, one that enabled her death. (Looks like Sophie-Anne was right about the power of belief: just as Maryann believed herself to be immortal, this moment enabled her to die for the will of her god.) Nicely played, Sam and Bill.

I'm already deeply invested in what will likely be a major storyline for Sam Merlotte next season as the shifter tracks down his adoptive parents (the ones who moved and left him behind as a child) and looks for some answers about his true nature. If this week's season finale is about consequences, then Sam is looking for some explanation from the people who were meant to raise him and look after him. While his adoptive mother is unwilling to give him information about his birth parents ("they're bad people"), his adoptive father, who is dying a slow and agonizing death, not only apologizes to Sam but shakily scrawls the names of his birth parents on a piece of paper. Are they shifters? That remains to be seen but I think we're seeing the start of a very important arc for Sam Merlotte...

With Maryann destroyed (and the body concealed by Bill), the town reverts back to normal, with few of them able to recall just what happened over the last days or so. Other than Jason and Andy, who believe themselves responsible for saving the day. True heroism happens behind the scenes, against impossible odds, and rarely comes with glory. Despite Andy's belief that heroes deserve recognition, they really don't. True heroism comes from the moments when no one's looking or from true self-sacrifice, not from trigger-happy ego-hounds.

Which brings us to poor Eggs. I had a feeling that if Eggs somehow made it out of the frenzy alive, he wasn't long for Bon Temps. He's the ultimate victim of Maryann's madness, corrupted by her influence and forced to commit heinous acts of murder upon several women without his knowledge. His experience begs the question: are we responsible for our actions when someone else is pulling our strings? Can we ever wash off the blood on our hands if we didn't willingly put it there in the first place? Is ignorance of such horror bliss? Eggs sadly needs to know what he did, even if it wasn't his actions that caused such destruction. He wants to be accountable for his crimes, however unwittingly, and the knowledge that Sookie pulls from the darkness inside his head slowly pushes him over the edge.

Yet Eggs wasn't threatening Andy. Was he standing over him with a knife, ranting and raving? Yes. But he wasn't going to hurt Andy; he wanted to be locked up, to be punished. He wanted to prove that he wasn't beyond redemption and that, no matter what Sookie said about it not being him who did those awful things, he was going to uphold his responsibility and turn himself in. Sadly, he never gets the chance. Mistaking the scene for that of assault and probable intent to kill, Jason Stackhouse shoots Eggs in the back of the head. It's a clean shot--thanks to his paramilitary training at the hands of the Fellowship of the Sun--and Jason is stunned when he realizes that he's taken a human life.

Was Jason trying to be heroic? Did his training and instinct kick in? Or did he want to save Andy and "save the day" once again? After all, he killed a man with someone else's gun, a man who was confessing a murder and looking to be arrested. So who is the hero then? Jason for killing Eggs? Or Andy for covering up and saving Jason's life? If heroism comes in the quiet moments when no one's looking, then Andy Bellefleur might just be a true hero.

I worry what Eggs' death will mean for Tara. She's truly been through the ringer in the last few months, between everything with Lettie Mae, the exorcism, unknowingly summoning Maryann in the first place, and the hell she's been put through by the maenad. Despite everything, she wanted to look forward and not back and start a new life with Eggs, a life that's been shattered by the former love of her life, Jason Stackhouse. Will she find a way to go on or will we see a Tara next season who's twisted by darkness, loss, and anguish? Hmmm...

Speaking of lovers, there's the matter of Jessica and Hoyt. Hoyt finally stands up to Maxine, who admits that she's been lying to him for nearly twenty years about the truth behind his father's death, and storms off to try to win back Jessica. And in a touching and beautifully underplayed scene, Jessica claims that she's going to ask Hoyt for forgiveness, a very human action that pleases her maker Bill. The scene plays out with both of them leaving the house and joking, almost lovingly in a father-daughter way, about their evenings.

That sweetness is diametrically opposed to what happens next as Jessica is seen, not at Hoyt's house but atop a redneck trucker. Rather than have sex with him (he says her being a virgin doesn't bother him), she rips into his jugular and feeds off him.... as Hoyt stands outside Bill's house with flowers, hoping to reconcile with his vampire girlfriend. Has Jessica crossed a line that can't be uncrossed? Has her taste of forbidden fruit--human blood--unleashed a killer hunger that can't be contained? And how long before Bill learns about just what she's actually up to?

I'm extremely intrigued by the revelation that Eric and Sophie-Anne are in cahoots and that it is Sophie-Anne who is supplying Eric with vampire blood to sell to the humans. Just why would Sophie-Anne willingly concoct such a plot and for for what ends? Financial gain... or something different altogether? And just whose blood is it, anyway? Unfortunately for Bill Compton, Sophie-Anne doesn't want her plot known and when he threatened to expose Eric in the last episode, he made a very unwise enemy out of the petulant and quixotic Queen Sophie-Anne.

Which brings us to the final scene of the season then, one between Bill and Sookie where Bill orchestrates an elaborate romantic evening for himself and Sookie at a French restaurant and then pops the question, handing Sookie a diamond engagement ring and tickets to Burlington, Vermont, so they can legally wed. But after everything that's happened, Sookie is conflicted and rightly so: she doesn't know who or what she even is or if she's even human. That's to say nothing of the allusions Maryann makes to some higher power keeping a watchful eye over her and protecting her, a dangling plot thread that's existed since the pilot episode. Just who or what helped her battle the Rattrays in the woods that night? Hmmm...

But no matter how conflicted Sookie may be about her nature, one thing is true and that's the love she shares with Bill. After sobbing in the restaurant's restroom, Sookie puts on the engagement ring and makes up her mind: she will marry Bill. But she's a few seconds too late as a black gloved man strangles Bill with a silver chain, incapacitating him, and then kidnapping him.

But rather than a romantic engagement, Sookie is left with a disturbing scene indicating a struggle and a missing would-be fiancé. So who is behind Bill's disappearance? The likely suspect is Eric, of course. He promised Sophie-Anne that he would deal with Bill Compton now that he knows about Eric's vampire blood business. And the killer was wearing thick gloves, not only indicating stealth and an unwillingness to leave fingerprints but also possibly that the perpetrator was a vampire and didn't want to come into contact with the silver himself. So was it Eric or someone in his employ? We'll have to wait a rather long time to find out.

All in all, last night's season finale of True Blood wrapped up the Maryann Forrester storyline while offering some enticing possibilities for next season and setting up some new dynamics for the third season. Despite Season Three not getting underway until next summer, I'm already hungry for another bite.

What did you think of the season finale? Did it live up to your expectations? What will happen to Sookie, Bill, Eric, and the rest in Season Three? And under what circumstances will we find our cast of characters when we next catch up with them? Discuss.

True Blood will return for a third season next summer.

Channel Surfing: "Gavin and Stacey" Heads to ABC, Nelsan Ellis Talks "True Blood" FInale, "Bones" Flashback Possible for 100th Episode, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

ABC is developing a US adaptation of British hit comedy series Gavin and Stacey, about the romance between two very different lovers from two very different places (in the original it was Essex and Wales) who fall in love over the phone and begin a relationship, against the advice of their eccentric friends and families. US version, from BBC Worldwide, will be written by Stacy Traub (Notes from the Underbelly) and Hayes Jackson (According to Jim). Elsewhere at the Alphabet, the network has given a pilot order to 18 Years, about a young couple who become parents and must "adjust to their new life as parents -- trading their fast-paced existence for a more domesticated lifestyle," from Sony Pictures Television and writer/executive producers Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith (The King of Queens). ABC is also developing an untitled comedy, from Samantha Who? executive producer Don Todd, ABC Studios, and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, about a thirty-something woman who learns that her new job as boss to a group of twenty-somethings puts her in the role of mother, therapist, and friend. (Variety)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a great interview with True Blood star Nelsan Ellis about the second season finale, which aired on HBO last night. And Ryan recounts that Ellis has one suggestion for executive producer Alan Ball about Season Three of the vampire drama: he wants a Lafayette flashback to see the short order cook with his mother. "There are so many lines about how his mother treated [Lafayette]," Ellis told Ryan. "It would be nice if we found out in the flashbacks that she was a vampire." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Bones creator Hart Hanson is considering using the 100th episode as a flashback to the first assignment that Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) worked togther, before the events of the pilot episode. "We alluded in the pilot that the first time they worked together — the time before the pilot — that it went very badly," Hanson told Ausiello. "They had a terrible time. So it would be really fun to do a flashback episode.... It’s in the bin of ideas for the 100th episode, but it’s a big bin!" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

CBS has given a pilot order to multi-camera comedy True Love, from Sony Pictures Television and writer/executive producer Matt Tarses and executive producer Jamie Tarses, about four friends in their twenties who are looking for love in Manhattan. The studio also has comedy script Nathan vs. Nurture, written by David Guarascio and Moses Port, in contention at NBC. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Julian Sands (24) has been cast as a guest star on the CW's Smallville, where he will play a young Jor-El. Sands is slated to appear in a November episode entitled "Kandor," where "it’s revealed that he arrived with Zod and the other Kandorians." Sands is so far only contracted for one episode but that could change as well. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Watch with Kristin is reporting that ABC Family has ordered the back ten episodes of its freshman comedy series 10 Things I Hate About You. The ten additional episodes are thought to be likely to launch in January 2010. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

However, ABC Family opted not to pick up any additional episodes of fellow frosh series Ruby and the Rockits, which will wrap its run after its initial order of ten episodes. (Hollywood Reporter)

TBS has ordered a fourth season of comedy My Boys. The Sony Pictures Television-produced series has received an order for nine episodes, which will launch in 2010. (Variety)

Showtime has given a six-episode order to half-hour reality series Lock 'N Load, which offers a hidden-camera behind-the-scenes look at a gun store in Englewood, Colorado as its gun expert Josh T. Ryan interacts with clients. Project, from Authentic Entertainment, will launch on Wednesday, October 21st at 8 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) has been cast in an untitled single-camera comedy pilot about a recent widower who tries to get his life back on track with some help from his eccentric friends and family. Project, which hails from Sony Pictures Television, was written on spec by Alex Barnow and Marc Firek and will be taken out to the networks in the coming weeks. He will star in a Lifetime telepic about con artist Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, a.k.a. Clark Rockefeller, a high society scammer who ran "the longest con in FBI history." Project, from Sony Pictures Television, is written by Edithe Swensen and will be directed by Mikael Salomon. (Hollywood Reporter)

Fox21 has signed a first-look deal with Stuart Krasnow (Hole in the Wall), under which the reality producer will develop unscripted series projects for the boutique division for both broadcast and cable. He had previously had a co-venture deal with FremantleMedia North America. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Alternate Realities, Psychics, and Underwater Headquarters: An Advance Review of Season Five Opener of "Bones"

No, we're not talking about Fringe.

Viewers were left on a hell of a cliffhanger ending when Bones wrapped its fourth season in May. Just what was going on between Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel)? How much of it was real, how much of it was Booth's inner fantasy life, and how much of it was Bones' new book? Hmmm....

Bones returns next week with a fantastic fifth season premiere ("Harbingers in the Fountain") that deals with that cliffhanger head on while also taking the relationship between the seemingly star-crossed romantic leads in a new direction.

Creator Hart Hanson and the writing staff of this stylish and smart romance-tinged crime procedural wisely realize that one of the strengths of the series is the palpable and smoldering sexual tension between Deschanel and Boreanaz and the premiere rather cleverly deals with the fallout from the events of last season in an interesting and compelling way.

So what did I think of the Bones season premiere? Let's discuss. (Beware, some SPOILERS below.)

Rather than start off this season in the moments following Booth's seeming amnesia, Hanson instead shifts the action forward, giving the start of the season momentum and a strong throughline. Viewers wondering just what happened in the moments after Booth awoke from his coma will have to wait as the action jumps roughly six weeks into the future, on the day where Booth is certified by Sweets and declared mentally fit to return to work and Brennan returns from a dig in Guatemala. In order words, both of them are attempting to return to normalcy.

But everything is far from normal. For one, Booth is left with remnants of his life with Brennan, imaginary though it may have been and there are signs that his experiences have changed him in possibly indelible ways. Second (and I don't think it's giving anything away to say this), he's having difficulties returning to his life before his medical situation. While he may have been cleared to return to duty, there are some tantalizing indications that Booth isn't completely recovered from his ordeal.

It's an intriguing proposition that Hanson raises: are we the sum of our experiences? Do the little quirks that our personalities contain add up to the fullness of our being? If you remove those, are we still us?

Boreanaz and Deschanel both dazzle in this installment and it's easy to see why viewers have fallen in love for this delightfully mismatched duo who might just be perfect for one another. There's a heartbreaking vulnerability to Boreanaz's Booth here that plays quite nicely against the flintiness of Brennan and the episode showcases both a joy for their reunion as well as a sadness of things that have been lost.

Further complicating matters is the arrival of Angela's psychic Avalon Harmonia (played with divine radiance by Cyndi Lauper), who has some messages from beyond for our favorite crime-solving duo. But is Avalon reading into Booth and Brennan's situation or is she blessed with supernatural gifts?

That's the real question, one that gets further muddled by the fact that Avalon claims to have seen several bodies buried beneath a fountain. When Booth and Brennan investigate and unearth human remains exactly where Avalon told them they would be, it does seem like Avalon is in touch with something preternatural and mystical... Yet the discovery of a link between Avalon and one of the victims would cast some doubt as to the extent of her abilities.

What follows is one of the more fantastically absurd capers on Bones, but it's handled with such deftness and humor (not to mention Mystery with a capital-M) that it's a wholly intriguing and compelling adventure involving an underwater utopia, a cult, and some ruthless baddies.

In order words, the mysteries of the flesh are just as confusing as the mysteries of the heart. Booth will have to solve a complex riddle: what happens when what our heart wants doesn't match what our brain tells us is true? It's an age-old mystery and one that I can't wait to see Booth and Brennan wrap their heads around this season on Bones.



Bones' fifth season kicks off on Thursday, September 17th at 8 pm ET/PT.

Tune-In Reminder: "True Blood" Season Finale (and Alan Ball!)

Just a quick reminder to be sure to tune in Sunday night for the second season finale of HBO's True Blood.

Be sure to come back here Monday morning to discuss the episode in detail. I'll also be chatting one-on-one with True Blood writer/executive producer Alan Ball that morning, so if you have any burning questions about the second season or the season finale specifically, be sure to email me or leave a comment here.

Here's how HBO described the season finale ("Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"): Maryann prepares for her ultimate sacrifice, forcing Sookie to be the Maid of Honor at her bloody nuptials; Sophie-Anne warns Eric to control Bill's inquisitiveness; Jason leads Andy into battle; Hoyt struggles with Maxine's endless stream of insults; Sam places his trust, and his life, in a most unlikely ally in order to save Bon Temps and Sookie. (And it also happens to feature a cameo from True Blood author Charlaine Harris, to boot!)

Below you can catch the promo for Sunday night's season finale as well as the gorgeous Depeche Mode music video for "Corrupted," featuring the cast of True Blood.

True Blood: Ep. 24 "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'":



True Blood: Depeche Mode "Corrupt" Music Video:



True Blood's second season wraps up Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Channel Surfing: "Fringe" Stars Tease Season Two, Maura Tierney Leaves "Parenthood," ABC Lures "Secret Millionaire," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Fringe stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, and John Noble tease some details about the second season of the FOX sci-fi drama, which launches next week, during a video interview on the set of an Entertainment Weekly photo shoot for the magazine's Fall TV Issue (on newsstands today). (Entertainment Weekly)

NBC has announced that Maura Tierney (ER) has left the cast of Parenthood in order to undergo treatment for breast cancer. The series, from executive producer Jason Katims, was originally slated to launch this fall on the Peacock but the network delayed the series until midseason in order to allow Tierney to begin treatment. Unfortunately, that treatment will continue to interfere with the series' production schedule. Tierney and Parenthood have agreed to go their separate ways and Tierney's role, that of harried single mother Sarah Braverman, will now be recast. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

ABC has acquired six episodes of Secret Millionaire, the FOX reality series that wasn't picked up for a second season. Series, from RDF USA, will return to production later this year and will launch on ABC in midseason. (Variety)

CBS is said to be close to reaching a deal with Craig Ferguson and Worldwide Pants that will keep the Scottish host on board The Late Late Show through the 2011-12 season. (Variety)

BBC One has commissioned The Wizard of Oz, the latest in its line of star formats such as How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, I'd Do Anything, and Any Dream Will Do. Project, from Talkback Thames, will search for an actress to play Dorothy and a canine actor to play Toto in an upcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber musical production of Oz in London's West End. Judges have yet to be announced for the series, slated to launch in 2010, but Graham Norton will return as host. (Broadcast)

IFC has ordered six half-hour episodes of reality series Dinner with the Band, in which chef Sam Mason will cook a meal for some of the music industry's top indie bands, who will perform and chat over dinner. Series, which is set to debut on November 24th, has already lined up Les Savy Fav, Kid Sister and Flosstradamus Men, Final Fantasy, Yacht, and Sharon Jones &the Dap-Kings. (Variety)

William Hurt (Damages) and Ethan Hawke (XXXX) have joined the cast for an international co-production adaptation of Herman Melville's 1851 novel "Moby Dick." Hurt will play megalomaniac captain Ahab while Hawke will play the ship's first officer, Starbuck. Budget for the Tele Munchen production, a joint venture between Germany's RTL, Austria's ORF, and RHI Entertainment, is said to be in the range of $25 million. Script was written by Nigel Williams and will be directed by Mike Barker. (Hollywood Reporter)

Brian Austen Green (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Graham Greene (Twilight Saga: New Moon) will topline Hallmark Channel period telepic The Wild Girl, about a would-be photojournalist in the 1930s (Green) who joins up with some Americans en route to Mexico to rescue a kidnapped boy. Project, written by Ronald Parker (Broken Trail), will be directed by Don McBrearty. (Variety)

Stay tuned.