Posts Tagged ‘Rogers Media’

The Amazing Cult on the March to the Jeselnik Offensive; TV must-sees for this week

- February 17th, 2013

Amazing Race cast - season 22

 

Bill Harris’ TV must-sees for the week of Feb. 17:

 

1) The Amazing Race

Why you should watch: So, everybody keeps trying to tell me what a “small world” it is. So how is it that this series is entering its 22nd season (participants are pictured above) and they still keep finding exotic places to visit in different countries? Ex-NHL player Bates Battaglia is one of the competitors this time.
When: Sunday on CBS, CTV

 

2) Cult

Why you should watch: In the series debut, investigative journalist Jeff Sefton (Matt Davis) begins to delve into the dark underworld of a TV show called Cult, and its super-devoted fans. Yes, it’s one of those show-within-a-show things.

When: Tuesday on CW, CTV Two

 

3) Killing Lincoln

Why you should watch: Narrated on-screen by Tom Hanks and starring Billy Campbell in the title role, this two-hour historical drama isn’t a biopic, but rather focuses specifically on the assassination of the 16th president of the United States.

When: Sunday on National Geographic Channel

 

4) Leverage

Why you should watch: In the series finale, Nate (Timothy Hutton) takes a case linked to his son’s death. But when the job goes bad, Interpol interrogates Nate and tries to figure out not only what went wrong, but also what he really was seeking.

When: Monday on Super Channel

 

5) March to the Top

Why you should watch: A documentary about emotional and physical rehabilitation as 12 injured Canadian soldiers attempt to work together to climb the 20,305-foot Island Peak in Nepal.

When: Full-length version Sunday on Documentary Channel; one-hour version Monday on CBC

 

6) Come Date With Me

Why you should watch: An offshoot of the series Come Dine With Me, this new foray sees four eligible suitors try to out-dine, out-shine and out-date each other for the heart of one hottie. You know, just like every night in all bars.

When: Wednesday on W

 

7) The Jeselnik Offensive

Why you should watch: Comedian Anthony Jeselnik has produced some of the most fearless, or offensive, or hilarious Tweets (depending upon your point of view) that I ever have read. You may have seen him on some of those celebrity roasts. Now he gets his own series.

When: Tuesday on Comedy

 

8) Revenge

Why you should watch: The Graysons host their annual Labour Day party – my God, these people throw a lot of parties. Meanwhile, Jack and “Faux-manda” embark upon what is sure to be a stress-free honeymoon.

When: Sunday on ABC, City

 

9) The Good Wife

Why you should watch: Tensions flare when Will and Diane ask Alicia and Cary to face off against them in a mock trial. Hey, remember “Mock Trial with J. Reinhold” on Arrested Development? Now that was funny.

When: Sunday on CBS, Global

 
10) Once Upon a Time

Why you should watch: While Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Henry (Jared Gilmore) seek out Mr. Gold’s son in New York, Regina (Lana Parrilla) attempts to track down one of Rumplestiltskin’s most treasured possessions back in Storybrooke.

When: Sunday on ABC, CTV

 

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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“Wild Things, I think I love you,” says Dominic Monaghan

- January 15th, 2013

Dominic Monaghan - cover 2

Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan isn’t only about insects. But Dominic Monaghan does want to put a bug in your ear.

“It irks me, to say the least, when people just dismiss them or kill them,”   Monaghan said. “A spider, ew, they kill it.

“It wasn’t doing anything to you. It doesn’t really know you exist. It wants to be in shadow, it has come out into the light, it’s trying to get back into shadow, and for some reason you think it’s coming to kill you. It’s not, it’s just trying to find a safe place where it can stay alive.

“I’m just keen on breaking the myths that a lot of people think about insects, which is that for some reason they’re out to get us, that they’re evil little animals who wake up in the morning and say, ‘Kill the humans!’ That’s not their path.”

Monaghan, an actor well-known for his roles in Lost and The Lord of the Rings, is passionate about all kinds of animals. Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan – which debuts Monday, Jan. 21 on OLN – is an extension of Monaghan’s regular life, and even his home movies.

“Wild Things essentially is the way I’ve always vacationed as an adult,” Monaghan said. “I’ll usually look for an animal I’m interested in seeing, and then I’ll go to that particular place. That was the pitch (for Wild Things) that I gave out to companies.

“The show obviously has a deep correlation with the natural world, but it’s also a little bit of a travelogue, mixed with some food, it’s just about me and what I did.”

And it’s not just about the creepie-crawlies, even if Monaghan doesn’t find them creepy.

“We obviously used a lot of insects in the show as target animals because I’m a big fan of the underdog and the misunderstood,” Monaghan said. “They’re easy to find and they’re everywhere. But we also do a lot of stuff about snakes and lizards and certain types of mammals. If we find it, we usually film it.

“But as an order of animals, insects are the most important on the planet, by such a huge degree. The only thing that distinguishes us, humans, making us think that we’re in any way important is our ability to create art and technology. Apart from that, we’re the most destructive species on the planet. Worms and beetles, they create the planet, they continue to allow it to live and breathe.”

So if Wild Things speaks directly to Monaghan’s interests, has acting been something of a diversion?

“I always wanted to be an actor, but like a lot of people, I’m a lot of things,” Monaghan said. “I’m a huge (English) football fan. I’m a fan of food and travel and animals and movies. This is just one of the other things I’m passionate about, although you probably see more of me, because I’m not playing a character.

“If someone didn’t like me in Lost, I could say, ‘Well, they didn’t like Charlie.’ But if they don’t like this, then they probably don’t like me. That’s what I have to come to terms with.”

No worries, Dominic. You’re as likeable as a spider.

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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Jessica Lange doesn’t think her American Horror Story characters are creepy. Huh?

- December 7th, 2012

FX-AHS-Jessica-Gallery1170_F10

In a conference call with American Horror Story’s Jessica Lange today, I asked her if she could recall the “a-ha moment” when she realized she could play creepy really, really well.

“I don’t think of any of my characters as creepy,” Lange said.

Say what?

“They might be misguided. They might be crazy. But definitely not creepy.”

Lange, of course, currently is playing Sister Jude in the second season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, the full title of which is American Horror Story: Asylum (FX, FX Canada).

In season one, which told an entirely different self-contained story, Lange played – I’m sorry, Jessica, it’s true – a creepy neighbour named Constance. Lange also will be back for season three, whatever that might entail.

“There’s nothing that appeals to me more than playing madness,” Lange continued. “And that I do know how to dip into. But that’s quite different than creepy.

“I’m sorry,” Lange added with a chuckle. “I don’t find anything creepy about these characters.”

Uh, you really need to go back and watch them, Jessica Lange.

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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Sarah Paulson seeks “Asylum” from cop procedurals in American Horror Story

- November 16th, 2012

Sarah Paulson - cover

As one of the main characters in American Horror Story, Sarah Paulson is about as far away from a police procedural as an actress can get.

“I’ve very grateful I’m not walking around a police department saying, ‘Hey, the perp escaped,’ ” Paulson said.

“Not that those shows aren’t great in their own way. But for me as an actress, they’re not stimulating in the same way. I love watching them, but doing them, I don’t know if that would be fulfilling.

“With this – because it’s Ryan (Murphy, creator) – I’m not just playing your typical television woman.”

There’s nothing typical about American Horror Story, which airs Wednesday nights on FX Canada. In season two – the full title of which is American Horror Story: Asylum – Paulson plays Lana Winters, a newspaper reporter in 1964 for whom things have gone horribly wrong. (SPOILER ALERT: Plot points are about to be discussed.)

If you’ve been watching, you know that Lana has been held against her will at a mental-health facility for the criminally insane, run by Sister Jude (Jessica Lange). Lana’s “official” crime was being a lesbian – it’s 1964, remember – but it actually was her desire to snoop around the institution that put her in harm’s way.

And now Lana is being held against her will again, a victim of the duplicitous Dr. Thredson (Zachary Quinto).

“There’s nothing more terrifying than a person being held somewhere against their will, having done absolutely nothing wrong,” said Paulson, who earlier this year was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role in the HBO made-for-TV movie Game Change.

“To me, that’s the terror of this season (of American Horror Story). There’s nothing they can do, because one person has all the power.

“There was a time in this country when that was the reality of these institutions. But I’m not saying all of them were run by sadistic nuns.”

Of course, American Horror Story has tossed just about anything it can get its hands on into the mix this season, from exorcisms to aliens and everything in between. It’s that combination of realism and the possibility of other worlds and other existences that keeps viewers simultaneously intrigued and, to be blunt, uncomfortable.

Season one of American Horror Story – in which Paulson played a psychic – largely was about ghosts. But as Paulson astutely pointed out, the basic setup allowed viewers an “out” if they were looking for one, because they could say, “Sure, this is scary, but I don’t believe in ghosts.”

In season two, however, even if you don’t believe in spaceships or possessed souls, you still can accept and lament Lana’s life-threatening predicament. (My initial review when season two debuted can be found here.)

You know the old cliche that “anything can happen?” Well, this is one of the few shows for which it literally is true.

And even better, Sarah Paulson doesn’t have to respond to, “Detective, get in here!” For her, that might be the scariest plot of all.

“Exactly, although that may be in my future someday,” Paulson said. “But I’m grateful it’s not what I’m doing right now.

“You know, I got to start (this season) in those great ’60s outfits, and by the time it’s over, it’s going to be a whole other situation.

“The great thing I can say with confidence is, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

Gulp.

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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From Made in Jersey to maid in Jersey; fall TV’s winners and losers thus far

- October 12th, 2012

Janet Montgomery of Made in Jersey

It’s pretty early to be analyzing the winners and losers of the fall TV season. Some of the biggest new shows just debuted this week, with still more to come.

But snap judgments are fun, so why the hell not?

Please note that any mention of ratings pertains to U.S. ratings. While the performance of these series in Canada obviously is very important to CTV, Citytv and Global, the survival or cancelation of American shows is determined only by numbers in the United States.

WINNERS SO FAR

Revolution (NBC, Citytv)
This has been a non-electrified bolt of lightning and was rewarded when NBC announced last week that it was committing to a full season. These “Lost wannabe” types of series have not done well in recent years, so there must be something revolutionary about Revolution.

Go On (NBC, Global)
I’m still debating how funny this new Matthew Perry project actually is. It’s charming enough, though, and NBC has committed to a full season.

The New Normal (NBC, CTV)
One of the biggest-buzz new sitcoms, individual episodes have careened from hilarious (Obama Mama) to uncomfortable (Nanagasm) to suffocatingly preachy (Bryanzilla). Nonetheless, this got a full-season order from NBC, too.

CONDITIONAL WINNERS

The Mindy Project (Fox, Citytv)
The other biggest-buzz new sitcom, I was a bit surprised when, earlier this week, Fox picked it up for a full season so quickly. The numbers aren’t great, but sometimes you gotta dance with who you heavily promoted.

Ben and Kate (Fox, Citytv)
I thought Nat Faxon would be carrying this show, but Dakota Johnson was really funny in the episode titled Bad Cop/Bad Cop. Again, the numbers are mediocre at best, and it was a surprising full-season pickup by Fox so early. But I’m happy about it.

Vegas (CBS, Global)
Often retro is no-go for viewers, but the numbers for this 1960s-set project starring Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis have held up nicely. The audience skews old, though, which doesn’t impress advertisers.

Elementary (CBS, Global)
As a modern Sherlock Holmes, Jonny Lee Miller needs to dial down his performance just a little bit. But the ratings have been acceptable, even though this is yet another older-skewing show for CBS.

LOSERS SO FAR

Made in Jersey (CBS, Global)
Star Janet Montgomery (pictured above) just applied to be a “maid in Jersey.” Okay, bad joke. This is the first show to get yanked from a network sked.

The Mob Doctor (Fox, CTV)
This series is getting roughed up on Monday nights in the States (CTV is airing it on Sundays). Many observers expect it to get whacked soon.

Partners (CBS, Citytv)
These dudes aren’t faring any better on Mondays. Moving Two and a Half Men to Thursdays has hurt the CBS Monday comedy block more that most people expected.

666 Park Avenue (ABC, Citytv)
The previous plum timeslot of Sundays at 10 p.m. has become problematic for ABC. Last season Pan Am couldn’t fly. Now this series appears to be trapped in the basement with the ghosts.

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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