My Version of Celebrity Gossip - Brit Edition

I don't really do celebrity gossip as you may have noticed (partially because it's kinda low (ahem, perez) and partially cause some other sites already do it so much better (ha)) but I found this interesting since it concerns less famous actors that can actually act and aren't just famous for being famous.

I didn't even know Lucy Davis and Owain Yeoman were together. They got married on Saturday at St. Pauls Cathedral in London. Lucy Davis of course was Dawn in the original British version of The Office (the template for US The Office Pam if you didn't know by now). She's now appearing as one of the three writers that wasn't fired, in the show within the show on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (and also showed up as a gossip journalist on Ugly Betty).

Owain Yeoman was on last season's critically acclaimed and quickly cancelled Kitchen Confidential. This year he was on the critically acclaimed and quickly dismissed The Nine. Let's hope he has better luck in the future.

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Fine, Don't Listen To Me

And The Nine is now cancelled. Thanks a lot people for not watching one of the better new shows this year. Now Scott Wolf is unemployed again and that is just WRONG.

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Best New Shows (So Far, While There's Still Some Time to Save Them)

Since I've missed the past few nights of television (gasp), I was going to post my picks for the best new shows, until I got home late last night to find that EW had just done their annual Best 5 New Shows, so DAMNIT, they beat me to it, but since I have nothing to write about since everything since Sunday and Monday is still waiting to be watched at home, I'm going to do it anyways. Plus since numbers for some of my faves are abysmal, NOW IS THE TIME TO START TELLING YOU TO WATCH. Why are you NOT WATCHING?

1. Friday Night Lights - I have to say it is my favorite, with each episode feeling like a mini-indie movie, and emotionally the most powerful and realistic despite the fact that I don't live in a small town or ever cared about football. Of course, since I love it, it's bound to fail (and so far it is, with some of the worst numbers by far... WHATS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? WHY ARE YOU WATCHING THIS SEASON'S HORRID Dancing with the Stars? At least in Canada, the ratings are horrid and CTV shoved it aside to the oblivion of Saturday nights, not put it at number 4 in the ratings? Of course, Canadians still aren't tuning into FNL but maybe it's the American Football thing?). (Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC/Global, though moving to Monday Oct 30th at 10pm for a trial run).

2. Ugly Betty - You all know my new love for Betty by now. It's funny, it's campy, it competes with Barney for the best one liners on television, it's heartwarming and despite the somewhat predictable storylines, I cannot wait to see the next episode everyweek (but not to find out what Senior Meade did with Fey). (Thursdays at 8pm on ABC/CITY)


3. Heroes - Clunky dialogue aside, the premise alone saves this show and with the added Masi Oka as the lovable Hiro, it makes for intriguing television. Good popcorn fun! (Mondays at 9pm on NBC/Global)


4. The Nine - The subsequent episodes following the pilot haven't felt as fresh as the pilot, but the first 10 minutes of each episode, that show 10 minutes more of the 52 hour hostage is gripping and emotional. The connections made between the Nine people from the bank hostage are interesting enough, though I can't help feel that they missed an opportunity by skipping so fast towards regular life following the horrific incident. Still, as more details leak out about the hostage, the more I'm invested. Again, which means this show will probably die since the numbers are not looking good for The Nine. (Wednesdays at 10pm on ABC, Tuesdays at 8pm on CTV)

5. Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip - Not the slam dunk we thought it would be since Aaron Sorkin seems to be living out his idealic life through his show. Still, the banter between Matthew Perry, a surprisingly likable Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson are enough to keep me coming back. This could have been higher on the list, if they had some better sketches in the show within the show, and stopped being so smug (that's why I turned The West Wing off, don't make that mistake again). (Mondays at 10pm on NBC (for now), Sundays at 10pm on CTV)

6. Smith - Well, this one is gone already, but I was hooked despite the morally questionable characters. Anything to hear Shohreh Aghdashloo speak, anything to watch Virginia Madsen, and anything to watch Johnny Lee Miller and Simon Baker be bad boys.

7. Brothers and Sisters - Yes, I said it. Brothers and Sisters, and apparently I'm not the only one, since it seems to be doing quite well for ABC (in Canada it loses to Studio 60 which actually is a hit with similar ratings to Hereos). The show where we all came to see if Calista Flockhart still had any width to her, and left wanting to see more of the druggie brother (Dave Annable), the gay brother (Matthew Rhys), and Rachel Griffiths. Sally Field also seems to be having the time of her life with this role, and now add to it the Everwood crew (Greg Berlanti as showrunner, Treat Williams in guest spot), and I'm sticking by this show. (Sundays at 10pm on ABC/Global)


8. Men in Trees - Yes, I know. It probably moves feminism back 20 years. Who cares. It's cute. It's fluffy. It's the television version of cotton candy northern style. The flirting between Emily Bergl and Derek Richardson as Annie and Patrick is enough to warrant attention, and I like that they are exploring a new relationship slowly just as much as they are exploring Marin's (Anne Heche) new found singledom (and obvious spark with Jack (James Tupper)). (Fridays at 9pm on ABC/CITY)


9. Help Me Help You - I didn't want to watch it, I did by mistake, and I laughed out loud a LOT. It's up against Veronica Mars and House so I'm not sure how long this will last but this was a complete surprise to me at how much I quickly got into this show. Ted Danson got back his cred. (Tuesdays at 9:30pm on ABC)


10. Justice - Two words: Victor Garber. (Mondays at 9pm on FOX/CTV)

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The Nine - Heroes Welcome

Okay, do people in real life that come out of something horrific like a 52-hour hostage go right back to work? Maybe people do. I would think people get to take a few days off, but most of the nine people here seem to jump right back into work, or at least try, while they conspire to hide what happened during the hostage taking, or in Bailey Salinger/Dr. Jake Hartman killing off patient/hostage taker in a nice shocking move but a little out in the open? Uh. hello. Obvious.

Meanwhile what kind of connectiong did Felicia and other-hostage taker Lucas Dalton forge during the hostage and what mistake did Felicia seem to do that might have caused Eva's death?

There is a bit too much intercutting and the flashbacks are thrown about a bit too much (I thought their original concept was to only show 10 minute of pure flashback at the start each episode?) and there seems to be little empathy for the hostages in their regular lives minus a few tv interviews (what was with Kate and Allie's son at the insurance company? No one is THAT big an asshole are they?).

Still, I'm completely intrigued and will let the plotholes sort itself out in future episodes since at least most of it seems like they can still salvage and save themselves (I know I know. some of it is on purpose but still, the evil police chief is a bit too stock character for me. I mean. Did they really have to hire a skinny white man with that ugly moustache?)

In the meantime, I'm sure there's some clever way of compairing The Nine to one of the other great contenders for best new show this year, Heroes, considering tonight's episode title but I'm too tired and will let some other more clever blogger link the two.

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Premiering Tonight - Tues Oct 10

Tonight, CTV premieres 30 Rock and The Nine (catching up with the pilot and also showing the second episode). Starting at 7:30 for 30 Rock and followed by The Nine at 8 and 9pm.

I guess we will find out what kind of shambles 30 Rock is in, after starting out as one of the shows with the most potential and now is an apparent mess. It will premiere tomorrow night (Wed Oct 11) on NBC at 8pm.

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Lost & The Nine - Party of Salinger Brothers

Lost - A Tale of Two Cities, The Nine - Pilot

I'm sick and irritable so this will be short, and I'm possibly sicker because instead of going to bed like I should have, I was sucked into watching both Lost (cause I had to) and the premiere of The Nine (cause I was seduced and riveted).

I also realised that the Party of Five Salinger brothers were back to back but now on ABC with Matthew Fox leading up as Jack on Lost, and Scott Wolf (is there something to the animal last names?) on The Nine.

First of all, I'm sure we were all going crazy after that first 5 minute opener on Lost, where we are shown the normal domestic suburban looking lifestyle of Juliette and her book club members, just as we seen Oceanic 815 burst above the skies, wherein not-Henry Gale runs out calmly directing orders to (GASP!) Goodwin and (GASP!) Ethan and the rest of The Others. Pull back and we see this small little quaint neighbourhood amongst the jungles of the island.

Now, there's already been complaint that the rest of the episode was too slow and not revealing enough, but uh. HELLO. it's called LOST. Do you think they are going to reveal everything? I for one just enjoy the ride, as we discover Sawyer (and then later joined by Kate) locked in animal cages leftover from a zoo (which explains the polar bears). Jack is locked up in some underwater cell which is confirmed as Hydra, one of the hatches. We flashback to Jack and his father, the separation/divorce precedings with his wife (Julie Bowen), and we discover not-Henry Gale's name is Ben.

The Nine quickly captivated me with its interesting but simple concept, and great big cast, but I'll go into more in further weeks when my head is not spinning (both from the cold and trying to figure out Lost and what's what in The Nine). I will however make one complaint that prevents The Nine from being a perfect ten. Considering how horrific the whole ordeal of the 52 hour bank hostage was, most of the Nine seemed to recover pretty well so soon after, or at least, the second half of the show seemed much brighter than I expected, unless they were all just putting on their brave faces (which I guess a lot of the characters were, but then, was I just not convinced, or maybe it was just too damn sunny in LA). Still, I could see why everyone has been touting this as the best new show since it fully engages into the stories and all the major characters right away without much dawdling on exposition (I'm talking to you Heroes and Brothers and Sisters). It was faced paced from the start and we got enough clues about each characters to fill in the gaps for now, with inevitable clues highlighted to take notice for future episodes.

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Premiering Tonight - Wed. Oct 4th

Only a few more hours to go before Lost returns for it's 3rd Season Premiere! Apparently the first 5 minutes are a MUST SEE. Plus the promos with creepy Not-Henry Gale's Michael Emerson narrating are creepy but totally amazing already so I can't wait for the season to begin. ABC/CTV at 9pm. Maybe we will even find out who those two guys above from last years finale were? Okay. Probably not for now.



The Nine follows on ABC at 10pm (CTV will air it on Saturdays at 10pm). This is supposedly the best new show of this season according to all the critics and bloggers and the premise of the aftermath of a 52 hour robbery and a solid cast is enough to sell me so far.

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