Friday, November 28, 2008

Christmas 'Psych' Out

After you're finished eating way too much, passing out on the couch from the tryptophan-laced turkey while watching the big game, and then shopping most of that food off on "Black Friday," you can sit back and relax while laughing off the rest of that calorie overload by watching the brand-new holiday-themed episode of Psych.  Just think about all of the hilarious holiday craziness that Gus and Shawn can get into!  Here's a sneak peek courtesy of USA Network:


The all-new Psych holiday special airs tonight (10pm EST) on USA Network.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

TV Sites Celebrate Turkey Day

Late Thanksgiving: David Schwimmer (left) as Ross, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe, Matt LeBlanc as Joey, Courteney Cox as Monica, Matthew Perry as Chandler and Jennifer Aniston (right) as Rachel share a toast in “Friends.” All nine Thanksgiving-themed episodes of “Friends” can be seen on WB.com

WB.com has an entire Thanksgiving-themed line-up now available online. In addition to all nine Thanksgiving episodes of Friends, you can also check out the turkey day antics from PTR faves Everwood and Gilmore Girls as well as other WB classics such as The O.C. and In Living Color. Click on over to WB.com to watch the Thanksgiving-themed episodes of some of your faves for free.

You can also check Thanksgiving-themed episodes of other former faves, including 90210 and Family Ties, at Joost.com.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

'Chronicles' Confusion Take 2

'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles' Returns for Season 2By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


So, last week I was interested, but confused.

This week I was trying to follow, but felt somewhat lost.

Next week I'll be ...?

Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles is starting to have that Back to the Future II-ish feel to me. Remember how that film just seemed to be one big endless sense of time travel to the point of confusion? It's like they went overboard with all the forward - backwards - present - backwards - forward stuff that at some point, I just wanted to go, 'kay, which story is the REAL story?

I confess I'm starting to scratch my head with T:SCC, too.

One of our readers (thanks, John) made an interesting observation in response to LAST week's confusing episode. That is, the time travel elements are becoming too important to the story and/or it is creating a sense of confusion about what is really going on in the future. Moreover, it's arguably taking away from the fundamental theme of the show's premise: fighting to save the world from the machines. As in stock up, try to prevent, fight, search out, deal and cope.

After watching last night's ep, not only do I agree there is now a sense of total confusion about what the heck is in the future, I find the introduction of all these Enigma characters (Riley, Jesse, AI psych doc, etc.) problematic AND somewhat of a distraction because they aren't just either a) on John's team, coming back to fight the rise of the machines, and/or b) one of the machines trying to kill John. It's like we're getting too many tangents, too many what ifs, too much paranoia, too much, too much. I'm all for expanding on the film's premise, but not to the point of losing the focus.

A few posts back, I also made the comment that I thought one of the reasons viewership might be down this season (aside from timeslot competition and NO lead-in issue, which won't get any better once this show moves to Fridays in February) is the fact the show is spending too much time chronicling things that either a) go nowhere, or b) aren't that interesting. Whether that be John's ever slow growth out of emo mode into manhood mode, or these long sequences of looks, sighs and one line bits of dialogue that seem so drawn out and useless, it seems to be such a direct contrast to last season's non-stop thrill ride of urgency, conflict and action.

And less interesting.

Last night, we got the whole Riley is on the take moment. Is she? Is she good? Is she a machine? Who is she? And she knows Jesse ...? How is that? Why?

Or how about the whole fork - over - our - millions - as - tech - investors so as to try and get the Turk chip back, but of which ends up being a dead end? Seriously, that just seemed way too impulsive for Sarah and Co. and/or they hardly even really researched it enough to warrant the All In approach.

And the Three Dots? I get that it COULD be key or a clue, but it also seems as if our team is spinning their wheels over it.

About the only part of last night's story I did really like was the further development of the AI - Babylon, now named John Henry. This was really interesting, and it keeps to the fundamental theme that the machines are here (not sorta almost being possibly created), they are already in process (not a phantom start-up), and they need to be stopped. It seems to me the Connors should spend more time wondering about Ellison's whereabouts and what he's doing than chasing down ghosts of tech companies. True, he did lie somewhat convincingly about digging up Cromartie, but if Cameron is keen enough to go back to his house and make sure Ellison didn't bury Cromartie in his yard, wouldn't she want to do some surveillance - which would lead them to Shirley and his pseudo-partnership with her? Ellison is working both ends to the middle, and I can't believe no one in the Connor camp is paying attention.

Even moderately.

As such, there are some gaps in consistency with what should be the focus of the show right now, and I'm afraid it's taking away from the show's overall punch. This ep fell pretty flat for me EXCEPT for the final scene: Cromartie reincarnated as John Henry.

That. Was. Good.

The fight to save the world continues.

New episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles air Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX. You can also watch full episodes online. Visit the Official Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Web site to catch up (or re-watch!)

'Chuck' to the Rescue

If the Emmys had a category for Most Awesome-ness Show on Television, then Chuck would win it. Hands down. It's just one of those cool shows that manages to make me laugh, feel conflicted, get emotional, stand up & cheer and inch closer and closer to the edge of my seat as the hour unfolds. And it does all of this while engaging the total spy geek in me (I started watching the Bond films as a kid, was totally into Charlie's Angels reruns as a child and will pretty much get suckered into every spy film that hits the big screen). In fact, Chuck is my favorite spy satire/genuine spy thriller ever. It really is THAT good. This week's cross/double cross/ cross/double cross drama between Chuck and Jill was nothing short of brilliant. I never knew whether to trust Jill (although, I leaned towards "don't" for most of the episode -- I just didn't see how big of a betrayal was coming), and I was waiting for Chuck to pull a few tricks out of his sleeve. It was quite poetic at the end when he got the last cross and Jill found herself cuffed to the Herder with all of the windows and doors under Chuck's control. The only problem is, this story line was so well done that I'm actually going to miss Jill and her special breed of double cross.

One of my favorite things about this show is its side stories. Pretty much anything at the Buy More will entertainment me. This is where the show's comedic back bone resides. I actually can't go to Best Buy anymore without laughing. I'm dead serious. I see the "Geek Squad" cars, the store's layout, the "Geek Squad" desk and I lose it. Every. Freakin. Time!! This show has turned Best Buy into a huge punch line for me. Sometimes, just driving by is enough to leave me in hysterics. And now we have this whole "Buymoria" concept that was introduced last week. I think I need a support group.

If you missed this week's episode ("Chuck Versus the Gravitron"), you can watch it for free at Hulu.com.

Monday, November 24, 2008

'Dexter's' DOH! Moment

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


So there it is.

The big reveal.

The OMFG moment for the third season of Dexter.

Miguel Prado is a scum o' the earth slime ball who has set-up and used Dex to start doing his own version of vigilante justice.

Problem is, if I hadn't seen this coming from ... oh, about 400 miles away ... I probably would care a whole lot more. But since I a) have been onto Miguel since about the third episode; and b) gave up caring last week, um ... yeah ... didn't do much for me.

HOWEVER ... let the Dex v. Prado Smackdown begin! Maybe we'll finally see Dexter re-grow a pair and get back to being himself.

AND ... I will say this episode did hold some excitement for me - or, I should I say, finally put Dexter back on his toes and in an uncertain position which, as I've been saying for a while now, is when he's at his best. I also finally got back to wondering what he was going to do next, not predicting it before it happened.

Scene of the Season candidate: the dream sequence with Harry and the corpse of Ellen Wolf as Dex tries to figure out WTF has happened ...? HYSTERICAL!

Can I just say my girl Deb was on once again this week?

One of the things I have continued to enjoy about the Deb character is the fact she does NOT hold her emotions in check - particularly when the situation is as desperate and uncertain as it was this week, when she raced against the clock to save Anton from George King, tree trimmer with a vengeance. Now, it is true that Deb's emotions can get her into trouble, and we've all seen her struggle to mature. But, those emotions are also what makes her human. We here at PTR are not fans of our female homicide detectives doing zombie emotional routines. Deb, lest it be said, has never gone down the zombie trail. When she gets passionate, even if it does get her into hot water, it shows us just how dedicated of a cop she is.

And I dig that.

Like I said, Jennifer Carpenter is single-handedly saving this season for me.

And why I keep watching.

New episodes of Dexter air Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Check out the official Dexter Web site for the inside scoop on the series.

Cuckoo for 'Crusoe'

NBC's New Action Adventure Series 'Crusoe'By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs

Remember that advertising tag line for the General Mills breakfast cereal? (Or, am I just showing my age again?)

In any event, this is all I could think of this past week as I watched Friday go Cuckoo for Crusoe as he battled through delirium and hallucinations after being stung by a wasp that had slurped up a nice amount of poisonous honey.

Ewwww.

The ep centered on Crusoe's desperate attempt to find the antidote in time to save Friday, which forced Crusoe to once again to call on his friend, Oliver, of the marooned mutineers (who, near as I can tell, still haven't fixed their ship up well enough to sail away from our castaways). We recall "Oliver" is really "Olivia" - she is disguised as a young lad, serving in a medicine (wo)man capacity for the shady crew.

Side note: I've lost count as to how many times Crusoe has been down to "observe" the mutineers camp and "borrow" some of their supplies, but the man is awfully good at NOT getting caught. I confess I thought he actually SHOULD have been caught in this ep, but hey, I'll go with it.

Now, this week's flashbacks were probably the most important given they finally showed us exactly how Crusoe was exiled from London - wrong place, wrong time, wrong list. So much for doing business in the part of the country where the rebellion against King James was being staged, or with a weaver who was housing soldiers who were part of the uprising, or that Crusoe's name is planted on the infamous traitor "list."

Enter sailing to the New World to escape his troubles.

And the return adventure that landed him on the island.

Six years ago.

Six. Freakin'. Years.

I confess I was unsure just exactly how long Crusoe had been on the island (maybe it was mentioned earlier, but I missed it). That said, the reveal of the length of time he has spent wishing - hoping - wanting - needing to get home leads me to one of the more beautiful moments of the episode: he STILL refuses to betray his love for Susannah with Olivia.

And what surprised me was how it came about.

Olivia was not really putting the moves on Crusoe. If she had, that would've been the clichéd, predictable, seen - it - from - a - mile - away angle, and that would've been ... well, lame. But instead, she was merely trying to console him, trying to calm his desperate concern that Friday might not make it. HE broke down to HER, yet the fact he remains so steadfastly devoted, so honorable ... seriously, where can I find a Crusoe? Do they even make 'em like this anymore? (I think they do - Fritzy over on The Closer could be considered a modern-day Crusoe, but alas, I digress.)

Anyhooooo, I really liked the Crusoe/Olivia huggable cuddle scene. It was cute. And perfectly weighted. It said so much once again about the kind of man he is, and the kind of man he has remained in spite of the hardship he has endured. He has a single-minded devotion to get back to his life, and he never wavers on it nor sacrifices anyone else in the process.

Like I said a few posts back, we could all use a Crusoe in our lives.

We could learn a thing or two.

**PROGRAMMING NOTE: The next episode of Crusoe airs in two weeks. According to the commercials that aired during this episode, the show is slated to move to Saturday, but the show's Web site is still showing it will air Friday, December 5th. Check your local listings.

New episodes of Crusoe air Fridays at 9 p.m. on NBC. Visit NBC's Official Crusoe Web site for the inside scoop on the series. The site is awfully cool - and that's not just the Pirates fangirl in me talking.

Pin Up Murder

This was an unusual episode for me.  It was a much older case, but it wasn't tied into any sort of historical event.  This usually spells disaster because I find these "old just for the sake of being old" episodes to be incredibly boring.  I enjoy the tremendous set design and overall "back in the day" feel, but I tend not to recognize the music and the characters and story usually fail to capture me the way the more recent ones do.  BUT, this week's story about a murdered pin up girl from 1953 was a huge exception to this rule.  I was completely enthralled with the characters and the story and I really liked Rita.  She was fascinating and I loved the way the writers decided to flesh her out by making her so much more than a pretty face.  She was full of life.  In fact, Betty Sue's line to her at the end about the fact that she makes everyone smile seemed to really hit the nail on the head.  However, Betty Sue thought it was because of Rita's looks, but in reality, it was who she was on the inside.  I also loved the way the setting felt like an old movie.  It was glamorous (photo shoots, that Casablanca-style bar where Rita sang her signature song, Rita's amazing apartment, etc.) and still managed to have its seedy parts (the "Red Curtain," the stalker fan, jealousy, and of course, Rita's lifeless body after being shot to death by her best friend).  Plus, I liked the way the pin up angle allowed for a lot of Vera humor.  I think my favorite funny part was when Kat said that they had found Beanie and she opens the door to reveal Vera sitting in the interrogation room still thumbing through those old pin up magazines.  I love Vera!

This may prove to be very unpopular sediment, but I like Frankie.  Of course, I loved her as Alex on Lost and was so pi$$ed when they killed her off last season.  Rousseau spent most of her daughter's life trying to find her and they go and kill her off?  WTH??  But, I digress.  Besides, it all worked out because now she's making googly eyes with Scotty and I'm eating it up.  Despite the age difference, they're really cute together and I'm totally invested in this "will they, won't they" tit-for-tat they're now engaged in.  And how great was it that Scotty's "reservations" were at the batting cages?!  For those who have been with the show from the beginning, you might remember that he met his first love Elissa playing stick ball in the neighborhood as a kid.  

Other things that I really liked this week: the way the shot went from Rita's murdered body at the end to the camera taking her murderer's mug shots, getting to see Edna from Everwood again, hearing that beautiful underscore from season 2's "Best Friends" as Rita was taking pictures on the street in Philly, Monty finally developing Rita's work as a photographer, and the simple fact that I didn't need to look at the press release even once to remember a character's name because it proves how big of an impact they all had on me this week.  Kudos to the CC staff for crafting a great story filled with intriguing, gripping, and memorable characters.  You probably guessed it, but CC easily moves to 9-0 on the season.

Screencaps courtesy RichE at Look Again

Friday, November 21, 2008

ABC Cancels Three Shows


TVGuide.com is reporting that ABC has decided not to order any more episodes of three sophomore bubble series: Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, and Dirty Sexy Money.  All three will finish out their initial 13-episode order this season.  A fourth bubble show, Life on Mars, just received an order for four additional episodes and will move to Wednesday nights in January to hopefully increase its viewership.  

The grim news from ABC comes on the heels of last week's news that NBC has decided to cancel Christian Slater's My Own Worst Enemy and Brooke Shields's Lipstick Jungle.

So, what do you guys think?  Are these cancellations surprising or were you expecting them?  Leave us a comment with your thoughts.

'Lights' Keeps Shining Brighter

I love this how! I mean, really, really, really, really, really, really LOVE this show!! I (heart) it more than this post can measure. I want to hug it for its realism, emotion, depth and just overall awesomeness. It pains me that more people don't share my love for this show because that doesn't bode well for its future. Speaking of which, does it feel like the show itself is beginning to act like this is its swan song? I don't know for sure, but it just seems like this season is the last (please, no!) as we've already said goodbye to Smash (he finally accomplished his modified dream and landed on a college playing field), Tyra is working toward going to college (at least she was until Rodeo Boy came along), and now we've bid adieu to Jason. I've always felt proud of Jason for what he has been able to overcome. His entire future changed in an instant, and yet, he rebounded. It wasn't easy and he struggled for so long, but he has come through the other side and he's going to be OK. This week, however, I was prouder than I have ever been of him. He learned the hard way that NYC is a tough town, but with a little help from his friend Riggins, he got back on that horse more determined and he came away with a job. He made his new future a lot brighter and he faced his feelings and fears. He proved himself to Erin, and he's on his way to starting a promising career in sports management and a fulfilling home life with the woman he loves and his young son. It's not going to be easy, but you get the sense that Jason knows that and he's up for the battle. That whole "passing of the guard" scene where Erin took over for Riggins was emotional, and both Scott Porter and Taylor Kitsch really showed their acting chops in that scene.

I'm really not a fan of J.D. McCoy's personal coach filling in as Offensive Coordinator for the ailing Coach Mac McGill. I understand why he's a good fit, but I don't like it. Maybe it's just the fact that Buddy Garrity and J.D.'s father conspired with the boosters to make it happen. I'm not a fan of J.D's father and Buddy being in cahoots anyway. That's a sticky relationship. Meanwhile, I felt for Tammi and her lust for that beautiful home. I know they made the right decision in not getting it, but I get why she needed Eric to be straight forward with her before she was willing to let it go. That entire story line was so well developed because it was so true to life. I've so been there! And I have a father who can't sleep at night when it comes to huge financial decisions, so I get Eric as well.

Friday Night Lights will return in 2 weeks with an all-new, commercial-free episode on DirecTV's 101. The third season will be seen in its entirety early next year on NBC.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Murder at 35,000 Feet

When a cooked body is found at 35,000 feet in an airplane microwave, who ya gonna call? Booth and Bones of course! Luckily, the crime fighting duo just happened to be on board. For a closer look, here's this week's breakdown.

THE GOOD
Booth and Bones being, well, Booth and Bones and all their Booth and Bones-yness. Those granny glasses had me laughing for a while as did Booth's sexy librarian reference. Oh, and there were those mystery novel-reading old ladies who were practically experts on murder and the process of solving it. Back in DC, I liked seeing Sweets playing a different role and working with some of the other players. It's always good to see my favorite Federal Prosecutor, and I'm still interested to see where Angela's new relationship leads.

THE BAD
This pains me -- it really does -- but I'm going to have to go with the HUGE suspension of reality and leap of faith that the show expected us to take as Bones and Booth solved a murder on a commercial airliner 3/4 of the way to China. There were just too many hurdles to get over in order to make this one work. And while I thought most of the bridges over those hurdles were downright clever (and amusing), I'm afraid the show didn't score one in the realistic column. Not necessarily a bad per se, but I found myself suspending belief and giving the show the benefit of the doubt more times than usual and it became a distraction too often during the hour. I don't expect Bones to be 100% accurate 100% of the time and I'm more than willing to give them artistic license (as I am any TV show), but even this one was a bit much for me. It's a shame because I really enjoyed the whole "Murder at 35,000 feet" theme.

THE UGLY
I bet you guys thought I was going to say the microwaved body, but I'm throwing a curve ball this week and saying that the remains didn't gross me out. In fact, I thought that I might be able to leave the "Ugly" category blank for the first time and then, IT HAPPENED!! The eyeball floated to the surface! The nasty flesh peeling/dunking in the makeshift cleaning/forensic bowl thingy almost got me (seriously, I was this close), but I held on. The eyeball, however, sent me over the edge. Hence, we have an "Ugly" for this week. So close, people.

If you missed last night's episode ("The Passenger in the Oven"), check it out for free at Hulu.com.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Kidnapping on the 'Fringe'

This week's episode of Fringe started out with its usual X-Files vibe, then moved to a Without a Trace feel before finally settling on a Lost vibe (which, it's worth noting, is the first time I've seen a resemblance between these two J.J. Abrams series). Perhaps, it was the decision to pose more questions than answers or the whole green light, red light now-you-see-me- now-you-don't trick which ultimately led to the pulling- the- apple- through- the- safe trick. The man behind the tricks was using math to make it all work. Had I known that math could allow me to reach my hand through solid objects, I might have paid more attention in class. In all seriousness, math can unlock all sorts of advancements in science and technology, and that was the basis for this week's episode. The problem was, no one seemed to be able to complete the all-important hand- through- the- safe formula. They could start it, develop the middle, but never reach the conclusion. Even a little kidnapping, mental persuasion, and eventual breakdown couldn't produce the result the mastermind needed to complete his experiment. That was until they kidnapped a young boy with an uncanny ability to tickle the ivories. Like the other abductees, he could start his composition, develop the middle, but never finish it. After emotional and mental duress, he was able to finish his song. The significance -- music is math and his composition was the exact mathematical formula that the mastermind was trying to solve. The question is -- how does this formula fit into the pattern?

I'm really not loving this "Walter might have to go back to the mental hospital" story line. It just feels a little, well, CONTRIVED! As in, we needed to create conflict, so enter a overzealous doc, a convenient trip to the mental hospital so Walter can "interview" his former cell mate who may be able to provide the key to finding the missing boy, and an outburst that lands Walter back in the hospital for the night. Luckily, Olivia was able to work her magic to get him out first thing the next morning. Now, overzealous doc is on the war path to get Walter back in the hospital and is petitioning the state to revoke the younger Bishop's guardianship. Walter may be a little "off," but his knowledge (as convoluted as it may be at times) and his former research for the government is a vital part of Olivia's work as she uncovers the truth behind the Pattern. They can't take Walter!

Fringe airs Tuesday nights on Fox. If you missed last night's episode, watch it for free at Fox.com. Photo courtesy Fox.

An Interestingly Confusing 'Chronicles'

'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles' Returns for Season 2By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


Well, that was ... interesting.

And odd.

Somewhat strange.

I guess it might've been a little much to expect two humdinger episodes in a row from the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles gang. But, I guess I'm two for two this week on the "I told you so" tip given that we got our proof Cromartie a) wasn't really terminated, and/or b) got dug up.

However, I wasn't expecting it to be at the hands of Agent Ellison. I confess I was thinking he might lead Shirley to the spot - some sort of I'll - show - you - mine - if - you - show - me - yours thing.

But do it himself?

And lie to John and Cam about it?

Interesting. Note to Agent Ellison: if you think you're really going to "learn" how to "fight these things" by turning over Cromartie's half-toasted metal endoskeleton to Shirley, you need to quit now.

But aside from that nice little twist, this episode was a little off for me.

Like, weird. Strange. Disjointed.

The Sarah nightmare thing didn't really work for me. It just seemed really oddball. I get that she HAS nightmares, and that she IS in need of chatting with someone about her volume of issues, but the turtles, Cam rocking babies, the dots, the hole ... it played like one big acid trip as opposed to a nightmare.

And what is up with Derek's girlfriend Jesse?

She seemed borderline psycho in this ep, so much so that I was completely with Derek in his WTF expressions as to whether she did in fact capture the real Charlie Fisher and/or whether he was even worth capturing. Apparently, he's not such a nice guy in the future (read: traitor) given that he teaches Skynet the ins and outs of how to acquire information from human subjects (read: torture).

Now, I DID love seeing Richard Schiff (Toby on the West Wing) guest star as Fisher. He was convincing BOTH ways - in trying to say he wasn't Fisher, then when he finally fessed up that he was (especially after Jesse went and got the younger version of himself, and Derek started ripping out young Fisher's fingernails to get older Fisher to talk).

Ouch.

And it was interesting to see how older Fisher seemed to set-up younger Fisher to repeat the future. That is, young Fisher gets busted because old Fisher - who has the same eye scan/fingerprints - can break into the same company for which he worked pre-judgment day, at some zero dark hundred hour in the morning, then manipulate the computer system to allow back-end access to which the Feds cannot disable but of which gets young Fisher on the Feds radar. Young Fisher is really just a seismic retrofitter at THIS point in time, but he ends up being brought in by the FBI and locked up in solitary confinement - which is how older Fisher lived through Judgment Day.

All of this then begs the question of how "many" future scenarios do we have, particularly since Jesse is trying to convince Derek HE was tortured by Fisher (since she was supposedly there to watch) whilst Derek has no memory of it.

And doesn't Derek remember EVERYTHING?

Like we said ... interesting, odd, strange.

But entertaining.

The fight to save the world continues.

New episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles air Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX. You can also watch full episodes online. Visit the Official Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Web site to catch up (or re-watch!)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

'Chuck' Joins the PTR Line-Up

For those who are paying attention, you've probably noticed that I haven't been writing about Heroes. I needed time to access PTR's stance on the show and then how to proceed. There's that old saying: "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all." I'm going to heed that advice and take a hiatus from writing about Heroes. I'll still watch (for now) and I'm super psyched to see Kristen Bell back and in a more prominent role, so if something changes, I'll reconsider my position. In the meantime, I've decided to add Chuck to the PTR line-up because, a) it's better, b) it has awesome characters, and c) it doesn't make me want to throw something at my TV every 2 minutes. In fact, I can't remember a single moment when I've wanted to throw anything at my TV while watching Chuck. And last night's super-shocker was certainly no exception. I'm just going to admit it now -- I had absolutely no idea that Jill was a member of Fulcrum!!! My first suspicion came about 30 seconds before we found out for sure when Sarah and Casey were scanning the encoded list. Of course, this makes perfect sense because it explains how the Fulcrum agents knew where to find Chuck and Jill on their retreat. It explains why they "kidnapped"Jill and "held her hostage" until Chuck gave them the data back. It seems Jill has been using Chuck all along, and now that she knows that he's the Intersect, he's in a load of danger. Turns out, Jill's paranoid boss had plenty of reason to be and all of his puzzles were a very good idea.

One of this show's biggest appeals (other than its spy-y-ness, of course) is the undercurrent of "will they or won't they" that runs under every episode. There have been so many close moments, innuendos, and crazy situations that pit Chuck and Sarah together in incredibly close circumstances. But last night's shower scene was one of the funniest because they were both so preoccupied with getting the "hazardous powder" off that they failed to realize that they were both practically naked in a shower together. Toward the end, Chuck finally realized the reality of the moment. And I've decided that jealousy doesn't wear well on Sarah. I get her reasons for not giving into her feelings, but I fear that she might explode if she doesn't let it all out soon. And then there's Chuck who thinks that he has reclaimed the love of his life, but is headed for a collision course with heartbreak. Poor Chuck.

If you missed this week's episode ("Chuck Versus the Fat Lady), you can watch it for free at Hulu.com.

'Cold Case's' Hot Soundtrack

Fans of Cold Case may not be able to own the episodes on DVD (yet), but thanks to the show's music composer Michael A. Levine, we can now own a piece of the beautiful, haunting original score. The CD, The Best of Seasons 1-4, is now available on store shelves and includes original song "300 Flowers" (from season 3's "Beautiful Little Fool") as well as popular score selections over the first four seasons. The tracks were largely chosen by fans via the fan-run message board Look Again. The insert for the CD has liner notes written by series creator Meredith Stiehm. Cold Case: The Best of Seasons 1-4 from Lakeshore Records is available now in stores and through Amazon.com.

Cold Case's 6th season is now airing Sunday nights on CBS.

Monday, November 17, 2008

From Russia with Murder

"Fame! I'm gonna live forever. Baby, remember my name. Remember, remember, remember, remember!" Oops, sorry - wrong 80s story about a bunch of talented kids at a performing arts high school. Nonetheless, as a child of the 80s, I really enjoyed Cold Case's shout out to that decade's big screen institution Fame. Of course, this story didn't quite have the same ending. The star of this tale wound up dead at the bottom of a set of subway stairs after drinking tea laced with Oil of Wintergreen. I really enjoyed Nadia's story of persevering after her mother's death and her family's defection to the United States from Russia. She taught herself English, she studied opera and then found her "true voice" in pop music, and she proved herself to her disapproving father. Unfortunately, all of this led to her tragic end as her jealous teacher made an 11th hour decision to kill Nadia instead of herself. Nadia's immense talent pointed out all of Phoebe's shortcomings and it was too much for her to bare. I would just like to point out that we once again had a victim that I kept hoping wasn't really going to die (hey, it has happened before on this show).

Kudos to the Cold Case casting department for that uncanny resemblance between the actor who played Young Vera and Jeremy Ratchford. They had the same exact eyes! It was so well done. Plus, I loved the way the case was so personal to him because he had helped the family get asylum 19 years ago. Catching her killer was that much sweeter for him. And then there was Lilly and her continued pursuit of "Paul Cooper." This time, I paused my DVR at the end when she was holding that piece of paper. It didn't reveal too much other than a Colorado address and a partially obscured address that I'm presuming was local since Lil was more than likely parked outside of it. So, she found him, but now what? I guess we'll have to wait and see. CC moves to 8-0 on the season.

Screencaps courtesy RichE at Look Again.

'Dexter': Told You So

'Dexter' is back for Season 3By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


Can I just say I told you so?

And Harry told you so?

I'm not even going to go into the ridiculous let - me - show - you - how - to - be - a - serial - killer nonsense that transpired between Dexter and Miguel Prado this week.

Just look at the previews for NEXT week.

I knew this BFF thing wasn't going to end well. Clearly, Miguel cannot be trusted nor is he ever going to keep to any code. All I can say is I think - I think - my dream of Dex offing Prado may come true.

But perhaps worse than all of this is the fact that I just don't care anymore.

As in, this has been the most predictable, clichéd build up of a storyline that I'm so over and past how it's going to end. And because I'm so far ahead of where the show is at the moment (and I have NOT seen any advanced screeners), not to mention I've just never seen Jimmy Smits look like such a goofball in a character (as in, he's just so eager, so needy, so trying to convince us that he's just like Dex) ... well, unless somebody on the Dexter writing staff pulls a serious rabbit out of this hat, thanks, Jimmy, it's been fun.

Actually, not really.

It is worth reiterating that I do love Jimmy Smits, which is why I can't believe how annoyed I am with him on this show (though, technically speaking, it isn't his fault; he's only as good as the material he's given). That said, I absolutely despise the Prado character, which, in and of itself, isn't a crime. We don't have to like the characters that we watch. But, in this viewer's rather humble opinion, they have to be believable in the overall scheme of things, they have to resonate, they shouldn't be shoved down our throats, and they should not look like some sort of stunt casting in an attempt to make up for a below-average plot line (which this whole Dex - BFF - family - man - make - my - own - code - thing is). Agent Lundy (played by the lovely Keith Carradine) was better in one episode of Season 2 than Smits has been in the entire third season. Lundy was never introduced to just suddenly buddy up to Deb and make her forget the Ice Truck Killer saga. The reveal was methodical, believable, and hardly predictable. And, even though I really did NOT like Lila nor did I ever care much for Sergeant Doakes, those two characters provided tangible conflict in scenarios that didn't seem to come from left field nor make Dexter look like a fool and/or some distant relative of himself. Nothing they ever did was so over the top that I just rolled my eyes every time they came on the screen.

That, I'm afraid, is my issue with Smits and the Prado character.

It's just not believable to me.

Shopping for kill supplies at the sporting good store? Seriously?

I've never bought the let's - be - best - buds - routine from the beginning, and Prado has been played so overly eager (as again was the case last night) that I just can't believe anything that comes out of his mouth anymore, or anything he does. And in this whole process, Dexter has been reduced to being so lame, deaf and dumb that I can't believe he could ever be brought to share his deepest secrets with a dude who could send him to the chair - no matter how pissed off he is at his father. Thank God for the Harry flashbacks. Did we forget what makes Dexter character so interesting? It isn't Mr. Mom, Mr. Country Club or Mr. Mini Me. If next week is any indication, we may finally get back to solo, sinister Dexter.

We've seen what happens on other shows when they move away from the essence of what made their central characters so compelling. Some can recover, others cannot. I actually do believe Dexter can recover, but I'm afraid the Dexter scribes have not done their best work this season. He's is just too far off in la-la land for me, and although I have no idea how it's going to end, a down and dirty face off with Miguel would do wonders for me.

Sooner rather than later.

But for all the failures with the actual Dexter character this season, Deb has rocked it. I could actually just watch all her scenes and be happy. Deb and the on-again, off-again conflict with Joey Quinn. One minute we don't like him, next minute we do. One minute, he's actually teaching Deb to be a better cop, the next he's seeming to one-up her. I really like this partnership, the conflict, the uncertainty. It's like what we used to have with Dexter. And through it all, I feel as if Deb has continued to mature this this season, particularly in her handling of CI Anton - both personally and professionally. And throwing in the Yuki Amato IA conundrum actually was a good twist.

I don't even have much to write about Rita because she's just home planning a wedding. Rita, Rita, wherefore art thou, Rita? She's kinda been reduced to a housewife in training. WTF? Remember when she and Dexter had to work on their relationship? Sort of that awkward beauty? Yes, he cheated on her with Lila. Yes, she's gotten past the Paul Plauge. Yes, they've changed. But, this "Hey, honey, I'm home" thing is a snore.

What isn't a snore is the fact CI Anton has been snatched by the Freebo killer wannabe - another reason I'm looking forward to next week's ep.

Perhaps a little too much.

New episodes of Dexter air Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Check out the official Dexter Web site for the inside scoop on the series.

'Crusoe' Family Ties

NBC's New Action Adventure Series 'Crusoe'By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


So the apple didn't far from the tree, did it?

And by tree, I don't mean treehouse.

More like Friday and his dad.

Both are seriously decent human beings.

We met Friday's father this week on Crusoe via a rather clever reintroduction of: 1) Spanish captain Santana (from the premiere episode, who we will remember left our castaways stranded after the failed attempt to a) blow Friday and Crusoe out of the treehouse in the attempt to b) find the pot o' gold with the pirates); and, 2) the cannibal tribe that initially brought Friday to the island and of whom seemed to have made the Crusoe island their sacrifice hangout.

Turns out Friday's dad, Baillom, saved Captain Santana's life not long after Santana had set sail from our castaways, when he was forced to stop and resupply his ship with fresh water. Too bad that happened to be on the same island the cannibals were located. Doh! Where is Captain Jack Sparrow when you need him, eh?

I guess you could say it was a bit ironic, then, that they both ended up being captured by the SAME cannibals who had nabbed Friday, then sailed back to the SAME island to which ol' Santana had just waved goodbye. Nonetheless, Santana was redeemed a bit in my eyes, especially when Crusoe and Friday saved him from what would've been his inevitable fate with the cannibals, yet he wanted to make a deal to go BACK and save Baillom, too.

A changed man, indeed.

And it was quite the reunion for Friday and dad, given dad thought Friday was long ago dead after having left home when he was very young ne'er to return. Read: captured. Aww. Have to admit I shared Friday's concern the cannibals would want to go after him again. But alas, he got to have his faceoff with King Cannibal in the end - and win.

Since Friday and Crusoe agreed to remain behind to finish off the cannibals, Santana and Baillom promised to return to rescue them. And yet, did we not notice that Santana takes a significant blow to the head in the uproar to get off the island? And as he and Baillom row away in the cannibals' canoe, things look ... well, kind of bleak. As in, they've only got two days to row back to Santana's ship before it sails away, yet they are pretty banged up and wounded? This makes me wonder if they will return. Crusoe seems to think there is no doubt, but I am not so sure.

In this week's flashback sequence, we learned that when Crusoe's pirate ship was seized, the shady contract to which he had entered with his brother-in-law meant the loss would NOT be shared; it was Crusoe's to bear alone. In spite of Susanna wanting to go to the law, the political climate in England was against merchants, so the law would NOT be on their side. We also learned that Crusoe asked Blackthorn for a pass to leave London and go to the West Country - exactly where the Duke of Monmouth is raising his army to overthrow the king. You know ... the uprising Crusoe does NOT support but appears to be being set up to do so - particularly since he needs to get out to that part of England to get to his weavers and bring in new stock to save himself from further ruin. Blackthorn, believing that Crusoe isn't plotting against the king, does allow him to go. And yet, I can't help but wonder if we'll learn next week how this goes awry.

Stay tuned.

New episodes of Crusoe air Fridays at 9 p.m. on NBC. Visit NBC's Official Crusoe Web site for the inside scoop on the series. The site is awfully cool - and that's not just the Pirates fangirl in me talking.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Landry Tries to Move On

Poor Landry. He finally meets a girl who can help him get over Tyra. She's everything he has been looking for -- smart, funny, musically-inclined, pretty, and she seems to get him. There's just one problem, he isn't her type. But, Landry makes the most of it and decides to push past the awkwardness and be friends. I'm pretty sure that Landry could use a good friend right about now. His best friend is a little preoccupied with playing second fiddle to the new, shiny freshman QB and his latest development on the Julie front to really get what's going on with Landry. Speaking of that little development with Julie -- wow! I did not see that coming. Coach Taylor is not going to take kindly to his former QB 1 sleeping with his oldest daughter, so for Matt's sake, I hope he doesn't find out. Of course, this is FNL, so it's pretty much a guarantee that there's going to be consequences. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't happy to see these two together again. I never understood Julie's abrupt change of heart about their prior relationship and I've been waiting for her to realize that she threw away something that might not come along again. Then again, I'm glad Matt made her prove herself before he jumped back into a relationship with her.

Ever since Jason Street made a return this season, I have been worried about his future on the show. He has been listed as a "guest star," so I wasn't holding out much hope that the character would be sticking around. Judging from this week's outing, he's not long for the show. I'm bummed, but I think that the character has run his course. He's more than likely moving East to pursue a career as a sports agent and that will bring him closer to his son and the woman that he loves, so I can't really ask for anything more. It was bittersweet to see that scene between him and Lyla as she figured out that he's leaving. Every time I see these two together, I mourn the life that Jason was supposed to have. He was supposed to be heading to college and then the NFL and he was supposed to be doing it all with Lyla by his side. Unfortunately, life doesn't always follow the "supposed to" track and watching these two talking by the pool was an all-too painful reminder. I don't know, maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but I always thought that these two would find their way back to each other. That possibility is looking less and less likely.

Elsewhere, Coach Taylor and Tami were once again butting heads at work. This time, it was over a star fullback who had neglected to tell his disapproving parents that he was on the football team, and in doing so, forged their signature on the permission slip. Tami, who doesn't realize this, lets it slip during a parent/principal meeting which leads to the player having to quit the team. Whoops! Enter the Eric/Tami conflict. Not that I didn't see conflict coming the moment I heard that she was the new principal. She made it right, though, during a visit to the student's home ahead of the big game, proving once again that outside the confines of the school walls, these two always manage to make it work. And that's just one of the charms of this seriously underrated show.

Friday Night Lights is airing new, commercial-free episodes Wednesday nights on DirecTV's 101. The third season will be seen in its entirety early next year on NBC.

PTR Exclusive: The Cromartie Chronicles - One on One with Garret Dillahunt

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


Garret Dillahunt and I must have been related in some other life.

That, or he’s a distant relative of mine in this life.

Okay, not really (wishful thinking on my part).

But of all the interviewees that have kindly visited with me during my tenure here PTR, I’m not sure I’ve ever had so much in common with just one:

- We both are Pac-10ers (Him: a University of Washington Husky; Moi: a University of Oregon Duck).

- Even though he is a U Dub-er, he loves the UO, too.

- We both have degrees relating to English and Journalism.

- We initially thought during our college years that writing might be a lucrative way to make a living (I’m still working on that one; he, obviously, has done quite well moving into the acting realm).

- We both love Westerns and annoyed the heck out of everyone around us with our Val Kilmer/Doc Holliday impersonations after seeing Tombstone.

- We both have never understood why people bag on the Pacific Northwest’s rain quotient, especially considering that is what makes the land in that corner of the United States green and bee-yooo-tee-full.

- We know the Terminator film series by heart, and particularly, every nuance of Robert Patrick’s T-1000 portrayal (“Say … that’s a nice bike.”).

- And we both keep hoping for a Cromartie vs. Cameron terminator smack down.

Suffice it to say it was a pleasure to speak with Garret this past week as he took time out of his busy schedule to discuss all-things acting, college, Coen Brothers, Westerns, horror remakes and, oh yes, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles. It was particularly timely in light of the recently aired humdinger of an episode, “Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today,” which essentially saw his Cromartie terminator … well, terminated.

As our readers know, the verdict is still out for me as to whether he really is terminated. Garret, quite rightly, couldn’t tell me. But, most of us can put two and two together to figure out that we haven’t really seen the last of him.

We have, however, seen lots of Garret. A veteran actor, he has a seasoned résumé that includes a little bit of everything. He portrayed not one, but two, characters on the critically acclaimed HBO series, Deadwood. His role as a neurosurgeon in John From Cincinnati was called one of the most realistic portrayals of a doctor on television – period. He was part of the ensemble of The 4400 (a PTR Fave). He's enjoyed The Coen Brothers experience, serving up what little comic relief there was to be had in the Academy Award® winning No Country for Old Men. And it never hurts to have Brad Pitt in your corner, who went to bat for Garret to be a part of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Not bad for a guy who never thought he’d even be an actor.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'“At the time I went to college, I was just a kid,” says Garret. “I had come straight out of high school, and I was just kind of drifting. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I chose journalism because I was big into the school newspaper in high school, and I worked for the Selah Valley Optimist in my tiny hometown [in Washington state] – you know, where you’re your own photographer for stories. I just thought that was a good life.

"But you evolve through things. My brother passed away unexpectedly when I was a senior in high school, and that knocks you for a loop. I was determined to do something I enjoyed rather than get trapped somewhere. So, my last year [at the University of Washington], just on a whim – because I’m painfully shy – I took an acting class. I don’t know why, but I thought, ‘Well, it’s hard to make a living as a journalist, so I should probably write plays as well.’ Like that was lucrative,” he says with a laugh. “I took an acting class, which was part of the requirement for the playwrights, and it was really the first thing that had held my interest in college. But then I graduated, only having just tasted [acting], and I thought, ‘Aw, that’s what I wanna do and now I’m done!’ So, I went to NYU’s graduate acting program to train.”

Given that, it should come as no surprise we've inducted Garret into our PTR Fave Hall of Fame as he proves once again that kind, genuine, smart, insightful, easy-going and genuinely talented folks do make it in Hollywoodland. This is in addition to his being wonderfully humble, completely charming, articulate, very gracious and a true actor’s actor.

Plainly, he’s nothing like a machine.

And yet, Garret does wish one Cromartie-esque characteristic would rub off on him: lack of hesitation.

As in, just do it.

“What I’ve really come to enjoy about him is his complete lack of hesitation,” says Garret. “I really admire that because it’s something I don’t have in myself. I will sit and observe, weigh options, give into doubt. What I really dig about Cromartie is the fact that he has a job to do, and he just gets down to doing it. He doesn’t waste time over thinking or being overly concerned for his own safety. I would like to be that guy – sort of the decisive, Jason Bourne [of the Bourne series of films], man-of-action guy who just sees a job that needs doing and does it without waiting around for someone else to do it.”

Who knew a machine could be so inspiring, eh? And yet, it was Garret’s appreciation of the Terminator films that found him auditioning for a role in the television series.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'“Who wouldn’t want to play a terminator, y’know? I definitely wanted to do it - it just sounded like fun. And, I’m a big fan of the Terminator films. I’m old enough that I saw the first one in the theater. It blew me away. I also thought this was a good idea for a TV series. It’s the kind of thing I want to get home and see. Plus, I get beat up a lot in my career,” he jokes. “I always have to lose a fight, so it’s nice to win one for a change.”

And as we know, Cromartie knows how to win 'em. But so does Garret, particularly with his approach to portraying a legendary sci-fi character - that of a terminator machine. He's always felt a certain responsibility to hold up his end in playing what we'll call machineness perfection, yet he also brings his own unique element to the portrayal.

“I’ve felt a strong desire not to embarrass anyone ever associated with the Terminator franchise, especially because I enjoyed it so much. I thought Robert [Patrick] did a great job [in Terminator 2: Judgment Day]. He definitely seemed like a machine, but he was smooth. That’s something I’ve tried hard to do. I’ve also always tried to give Cromartie sort of an unconscious sense of humor – the notion that he’s just a little socially unskilled. He’s the weird guy at the party who thinks he knows what a good smile is, but he just doesn’t quite sell it in the eyes,” he says with a laugh.

So what’s been the most challenging aspect in portraying legendary machineness to perfection? It hasn't necessarily been about trying to suppress all those physical human quirks à la the lovely Summer Glau. Surprisingly, for Garret, it's been mostly about trying to suppress the human tendency to get disappointed.

To fail.

Says Garret: “You do have to stay aware of that kind of [human quirk] stuff. But for me, the surprisingly difficult part is [suppressing] the human tendency we might have to become frustrated or disappointed at failure. There’s a great scene in T2 where Robert Patrick’s [T-1000] has turned his hands into those hooks, and he’s clawing up the back of [the police] car [to get at John Connor]. Then, they sort of shoot him off, and he goes rolling in the street. But he gets right back up and starts running again. He’s not beating himself up [over it] like, ‘Aw, man, I failed. Gosh darn it!’ There’s just an immediate and complete recommitment to getting back at it. And that’s something I didn’t consider when I thought of the things that would be hardest to do [in playing a machine]. I didn’t think I’d be fighting my own natural instinct to register disappointment, or just sort of instinctive actor things, you know, when you have a task. But I actually like that about the terminators, that’s what makes them so scary. You can’t reason with them. They don't hate you – you’re just the task.”

And as an actor, the central task for Garret is always about telling a good story. Perhaps one could say that’s the English major in him talking.

“It starts with the material,” says Garret. “And the projects that I love the most – the things that sort of fire my imagination – come from literature. I think I’ve been fortunate to be in some really terrific projects, like Deadwood or No Country or Jesse James. I love stories. I never stop reading, and yet it seems like there’s still these gaping holes in my literary experiences. There are writers I haven’t even touched yet. And, I feel really privileged to make my living with my imagination. I get to do so many interesting things and meet so many interesting people. But, I want to do it all really well. So, for me, it’s all about the story. And if you can get on one of those kinds of sets, where the ensemble is really all working together to tell the same story - a good story - it's really just the best experience because everyone is feeding off each other. And it makes the whole better.”

So, does Garret look for roles that are quite different from himself, or does he like to share some similarities with a character he portrays (that of a machine not withstanding)?

“Oh, I think I’m going to weigh my response, here, because some of my acting teachers are going to be listening intently to this answer,” he jokes.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'In truth, he does try to distance himself from his characters, but he acknowledges there will always be a little bit of Garret-ness that resonates.

Says Garret: “I don’t think you can totally get away from yourself – if you’re open at all. [Part of you] is always going to be there [in the role]. And yet, I always do feel that I want to be as far away from myself as possible. I just want each of the roles I play to be different from the last. I don’t want to be just a personality as an actor, and I don’t want to play the same thing over and over again. Even though I’ve played a lot of bad guys, I think they’ve all been pretty different. As such, I really want to disappear into the role. My favorite actors are those that have always been able to completely transform themselves into another person – historical or fictional. Even when I started acting, I lived in this hovel of a place in Seattle. It was great, though. There was a shared bathroom on the floor. I just loved it. It was the first time I’d ever lived alone and had a roommate. I paid something like $120/month in rent. I remember I made these little collages on my wall of my heroes. It was always people like Gary Oldman or Sean Penn or Daniel Day-Lewis – those kind of guys that were really brave in how far they went to play a character. I always thought that was the kind of guy I wanted to be. But there are pros and cons to that [approach]. If you’re unrecognizable from role to role, it’s almost like you’re the new guy every time you come in [to a new project]. But it’s what I enjoy.”

Spoken like a true character actor, or better still, an actor's actor - one who aspires to move seamlessly between the mediums of stage, television and film.

“I don’t think I have a preference,” says Garret, when I asked him if he prefers television to film given that series television usually grants actors a longer stretch of time to delve deeper into a character vs. the two hour snap shot usually covered in a movie.

“I’m grateful there is a difference,” he says, “and that it does represent change. I like change. I think it’s a necessity for us [as actors] – unless you’re the very rare actor – that we’re able to move between the mediums. And, my goal is to be able to move gracefully between them all – television, film, stage. I like that each one has its own demands, its own subtle differences. I also like that my job has such variety in it. [And sticking with a character for an extended period of time] is certainly an advantage for series television. Like I told Summer the other day, she has played a terminator more than any other actor in the history of terminators – more than Arnold [Schwarzenegger], more than anyone [because of the time required to be on series television]. And, in that, she’s been called upon to explore things that they never had time to do in the movies.”

Speaking of Summer ('cause we love her, too), it turns out she and Garret both have a wish to … well, beat the tar out of one another. And by “beat the tar out of one another,” we of course mean their characters.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'“Yeah, definitely,” he says enthusiastically. “I’m hoping that at some point, she and I actually get to have a throw down. We both just love stage fights and doing as much of our own stunts as they’ll let us.”

So what does Garret think is the overarching theme of season two of T:SCC – especially from a machine’s perspective?

“A recurring theme – I don’t know if it’s the theme – certainly seems to be the increasing independence of the machines,” he says. “They are, in a way, starting to think for themselves, which is dangerous. And it seems like you can see the seeds of the dangerous part of the world that the Connors will end up having to fight – that John will end up having to fight – beginning to develop."

And how about collaboration amongst actors and showrunners?

Says Garret: “You know, that’s an interesting question because I guess I’ve never felt like I didn’t [have a chance to have input]. We’ll talk about where things are going, and I’ve always thought you could throw out an idea or two. But, for the most part, I think [the showrunners] know a lot more about [where they want to go with the storylines and characters]. You know, [series creator] Josh [Friedman] is a huge fan of the whole Terminator universe. I think I would defer to him if we ever had a disagreement about something because he probably knows better than I do about what exactly I am capable of. And I don’t have a problem with that - I enjoy him.”

Another thing Garret enjoys: author Cormac McCarthy. A huge fan of his work (which is why he fought so hard to be a part of No Country For Old Men), he’s found his way into another Cormac-inspired film with the upcoming The Road, which co-stars Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'On the film and his role as The Gang Member, Garret says: “No one has names in the book or in the movie. Viggo plays The Man, Kodi [Smit-McPhee] plays The Boy. It’s really their story, which is about a man and his son trying to live and get to some place better in a post-Apocalyptic world, and the people they encounter along the way – either friendly or not. You might guess from my pseudonym that I am not friendly. It’s a real departure for Cormac, in a way, because it’s a future story. In this book, there are the guys that don’t give up, the guys that fight, the guys that hope for a better place. There are those who would do anything they could for food or for relief when they live in a world where there is no food or where nothing is growing. It makes you wonder what levels would you stoop to survive or take care of your family. Obviously, The Gang Member [chose] a certain way [to do that]. There’s a great harrowing scene between [Viggo], myself and the kid because I try to take something from him that he values.”

Garret is also delving into the horror genre as he stars in the upcoming remake of Wes Craven’s cult classic, The Last House on the Left. Being the horror fangirl that I am, I was curious as to whether Garret considers himself a fan of the genre, and his thoughts on the skepticism that usually accompanies remakes from the die-hards who stay loyal to the original.

Says Garret: “I’m not a hardcore fan – I know they’re out there, and they’re much more knowledgeable than I am about it. But, I am a fan. I enjoy going to [see horror films] - being scared, being surprised. I thought as far as remakes go, this wasn't the worst candidate only because it’s not something like The Wizard of Oz, where everyone knows it and loves it. This one is known and loved by certain people, yet there are others who have never heard of the original. So, I thought, well … [original director] Wes [Craven] is producing it himself, so there’s obviously things he wanted to do differently, or get another crack at. He chose a director very carefully, who has a real sensitive bullsh*t meter, and I trusted him immensely. And, we all worked so hard on it. It was a great group of actors that all had that thing that I was talking about before – where we all wanted to tell the same story the best that we could. There was no battle of egos on set, or one-upsmanship. So, I’m actually quite proud of the movie, and I think we’re very respectful of the original.”

As we rounded out our chat (and believe you-me, I'm fairly certain we could've kept talking for at least another three hours), I wanted to ask Garret about the Coen Brothers experience working on No Country for Old Men.

Is it what we all think it is?

Yes. And better.

Actor Garret Dillahunt of FOX's 'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles'“I was there for about a month. I wish I could’ve been there more. Everyone sort of does the same impersonation of the Coens - and that’s very laid-back. You know, we’d do a scene, and they’d both come up in cowboy hats and sunglasses. They’d sort of kick stones [on the ground] and go, ‘Well, that seemed pretty good to me. Was it OK for you?’ And you’d go, ‘Yeah!’ And then they’d say, ‘You want to do another [take]?’ to which you would say ‘Sure!’ Then, they’d walk off, and we’d do another one,” he says with a laugh. "You know, we got the SAG [Screen Actors Guild] Award for best ensemble [cast in a motion picture], but we all joked that we really never worked with each other – or just barely. Tommy Lee [Jones] and I were in our story, Javier [Bardem] was in his, and Josh [Brolin] was in his. We very rarely crossed paths with each other on screen. But that's a testament, I think, to the Coens in that one of their strongest assets is their casting. They put the right people in the right job."

"I actually feel like I got to work with three directors [on that film] because Tommy Lee is a pretty good director in his own right. He would shout out things like, ‘Your toes are too far out!’ So, I’d of course put my toes in. He helped me out. And, there wasn’t anybody there that I didn’t trust – that’s for sure. It was really nice to be a part of [the film]. They certainly didn’t win those awards because of me, but at least I didn’t hurt it,” he jokes.

No, he definitely did not.

More like enhanced it.

Our great thanks to Garret for taking the time to chat with us here at PTR. We're hopeful hope we might chat again so that I can quiz him on whether he still remembers AP Style (heck, I don't). You can catch Garret on FOX's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which air Mondays at 8 p.m. He’s also slated to return to NBC’s Life this season as Russian mobster Roman Novikov. And, you will be able to catch Garret on the big screen in 2009 in the Cormac McCarthy-inspired The Road, and the Wes Craven produced The Last House on the Left remake.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

'Bones' Tries Booth Lite

Nothing like an awkward and emotional personal side story to distract me from the case of the week. In fact, I don't even remember too many of the details to this week's body in the meth lab outing. Nevertheless, let's revisit it together.

THE GOOD
Bones's relationship with Booth's brother, but not for the reasons you're thinking. Clearly, I didn't want them together and was quite against it from the get-go. BUT, this relationship (if you even want to call it that considering they went out on one long, late-night date) brought out all sorts of things between Booth and Bones. At first, I thought they were going to need to spend the rest of their lives in counseling sessions with Sweets just to sort it all out, but they seemed to pull everything together at the end. I found myself once again thinking, "Boy, these two are blind! They can't even see what's right in front of their faces!" But, I digress. The best moment of the night, though, was Bones knocking "Booth Lite" off that bar stool! You go, girl!!

THE BAD
Bones's relationship with Booth's brother. No, I'm not going crazy and yes I realize that I also listed this as one of the "Goods" for the night, but as good as it was for the results it brought, it was equally bad because it had "ill-advised" written all over it. In fact, I was reminded of Cold Case's Vera warning Scotty that entering into a relationship with Lilly's sister was "ill-advised." It applies here as well and for all the same reasons. I also didn't like Booth being Booth and giving up the credit on that bust in order to save his trouble-ridden brother. I know he was only looking after his brother, but enough is enough. I was happy to see him finally cutting him loose at the end. "Booth Lite" needs to learn about actions and their consequences for once.

THE UGLY
OK, I laughed when the state trooper cadets used tear gas to blow up a meth lab and a body was suddenly propelled through the air only to land on a parked police cruiser (and OK, I'm laughing now just recalling it), BUT this does NOT mean that it wasn't totally yuck. Therefore, yucky head on the windshield is the winner of the "Ugly" award this week.

If you missed last night's episode ("The Con Man in the Meth Lab"), check it out for free at Hulu.com.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Roma Downey Dances With Hallmark Channel

Roma DowneyBy LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


I finally get to write something new at PTR about a Roma Downey project.

Yay!

If the television blogosphere had existed and/or wee ol' me was bloggin' back during the time when Touched By An Angel was on the air, it would've been a PTR Fave.

Hands down.

As would Roma Downey.

So, I am a bit ... oh, let's just say ridiculously giddy today upon learning that my sentimentally favorite Hallmark Channel has lined up Roma to star in her first Hallmark Channel original movie, Wedding Dance, which will air some time next year (2009).

The film, which will also star John Schneider (of The Dukes of Hazzard fame and also a TBAA guest-star alum) and Brooke Nevin (of former PTR Fave The 4400), is about a young bride-to-be who's father that she never knew shows up alive and well, holding the deed to her family's dance studio that she wishes to sell so that she can pursue her dream of becoming a therapist. When it turns out dad isn't in all that big of a hurry to turn over the deed, or leave town, she turns to her attorney (played by Roma) for help. Production has already begun in Vancouver, Canada.

Roma's kept a low profile since TBAA ended its nine year, 200+ episode run back in April 2003. She's devoted much of her time to family and to her charitable work with Operation Smile, where she is an official spokesperson. I, for one, am thrilled to see her step back in front of the camera given that ... well, I've missed her.

Thank goodness for TBAA re-runs.

And thank you, Hallmark Channel!

Source: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter; Hallmark Channel Press Room

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Cromartie Termed on 'Chronicles'

'Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles' Returns for Season 2By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


I was warned last night's episode of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles was going to be a humdinger.

By none other than Cromartie himself

Yes, you read that right.

I had the good fortune to chat one-on-one with Garret Dillahunt (who is now alongside Jon Tenney as a tried and true PTR Fave) early Monday morning, before "Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today" blew on to our screens. He told me this ep was going to be a big 'un.

Pivotal.

His favorite.

And he wasn't kidding.

You'll be able to read my full exclusive interview with Garret later this week, but suffice it to say I get why he counts this as his fave, and why he had such fun filming it.

He was TERMINATED.

In serious grand fashion.

Or was he?

Whilst this is supposedly the big "death" of one of the "main characters" that series creator Josh Friedman threw out and shocked everyone with at this past summer's Comic Con, me thinks we have not seen the last of Cromartie.

He's survived before.

Remember first season's bank vault sequence, with the skull of the metal endoskeleton blasting forward alongside our team? Then, once here, all the "other" pieces of the T-888 clicked into (no pun intended) search/find/auto-assemble mode and rebuilt itself from head to toe?

Um, yeah ... that's why I don't think we're done with the Cro-man.

Especially with Shirley still out there.

I know the chip was smashed and all, but does anyone think she won't be able to find and/or reassemble him?

Uh, no.

But aside from the Cromartie show down (which rivals any OK Corral shootout sequence recreation of late), what wasn't in last night's ep?

It had everything.

And by everything, I mean all of the best elements that make this show so good to watch - action, suspense, emotional intensity, unpredictability, and the always good "WTF do we do now?" moments.

Not to mention the way it was told was new. Each character got their own snippet, advancing along the same plot line until the end, which ultimately brought them all together.

And I do mean all.

John. Sarah. Ellison. Riley. Derek. Cameron. Cromartie.

And this ultimate end was entirely John's fault. A mess. Sneaking out for an escapade with Riley to Mexico, where everyone was already all up in the Connor's business 10 years ago and/or still REMEMBERS them ... um, yeah ... probably not such a good idea eh, John?

So much for the Mexicanos having short term memory loss.

Oh, and aside from the hot pursuit shootout finale, did we mention John's true identity got run through flippin' Interpol (thanks to that untimely bar fight), which means he's back on the grid?

Someone call Lilly Rush because Ellison's ultimate can't get over it cold case just got hot.

And yet, I'm curious where Ellison goes from here, particularly since he found his way into this mess thanks to a friendly alert from a former FBI - a direct result of John's Interpol adventure. I admit I like Ellison being on the team. After all, he's now definitely a believer, and I think he could be pretty useful. But how this is going to fly with the Shirleymeister? Wouldn't she just love to come face to face with the Connors, eh?

Hmmmm.

Thanks Garret. You were right: this was one awesome episode.

And can I just say you can love a machine.

Cam and John ... awww!

And since Garret is now a PTR Fave, we have to see Cromartie again.

Have. To.

New episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles air Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX. You can also watch full episodes online. Visit the Official Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Web site to catch up (or re-watch!)

The 'Case' with the Moon Landing

OK, that was cool. I'm such a sucker for history, so I love it when this show takes a fictional case and revolves it around a bona fide historical event and it actually works (trust me, there are many times when it doesn't). This moon landing outing worked so well because the case was strong enough to stand alone, but enhanced by its reliance on the monumental event taking place in the background. The "Rocket Boys" and their fascination with space travel down to each of them taking on one of the astronauts' names, Danny's unrelenting quest to build a model rocket that takes off for the skies instead of imploding on the sidewalk, and of course, the actual moon landing footage playing in the background all worked to tie the fiction and the history together so seamlessly. This week's extremely sympathetic victim Danny reminded me of the victim of another case a few seasons back. Poor little Rita and her desire to make friends led her to a terrible sleepover where she was tormented and eventually shoved off of a ledge. Like Rita, Danny wanted to make friends and when he did, it cost him his life. The cases with kid victims are always the hardest on this show.

Meanwhile, Lilly was bonding with a retired detective over "the one that got away." For him, it was Danny's case. For Lilly, well, that's a case that she referred to simply as "Cooper." At the end, we got a first name: Paul. Now, for those who have read ahead, I think we have a pretty good idea about this Paul Cooper. For those who haven't and don't want to know, go ahead and cover your eyes now. OK, you were warned. We know that Lilly's mysterious father is making a guest appearance this season, and thanks to LillyKat, we also know that his name is Paul Cooper. So, why did he disappear (was it Mom's drinking or did Dad's departure lead to Mom's drinking? The classic chicken or the egg) and where has he been and how is Lilly going to find him? My interest is piqued on this story and I just hope that the show does a better job with this one than they did with the mom story.

OK, you can uncover your eyes now. Thanks to a strong case rooted in history, CC moves to 7-0 on the season. Screencaps courtesy RichE at Look Again.

Monday, November 10, 2008

'Dexter' Keeps the Code

'Dexter' is back for Season 3By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer


Last week, we thanked the heavens for Harry.

This week, we thank the heavens for The Code.

Even Dexter's modified version of it.

As in, we don't go after defense attorneys just because Miguel Prado as a bee up his bum and/or said defense attorney is a) very good, and b) makes Prado's work difficult by doing said good job.

THANK. GOD.

I was going to flip off the channel to Dexter last night if Dex really did take Miguel Prado up on his let's-go-after routine as it pertained to Ellen Wolf, Miami's numero uno defense attorney.

Miguel needs help.

And it is not of the vigilante justice variety.

Perhaps both he and Ramon need to enroll themselves in therapy.

I'm not convinced Miguel has the discipline nor the exquisite moral center that Dexter has so as to engage in Dex's version of justice. Ellen Wolf gave us hints as to Prado's less than ethical practices as an ADA (among others: planted evidence, jury tampering) whilst Prado's wife said it plainly: he's one thing in public; something else in private. And what he is in private doesn't seem to be much better than what he is in public. We saw him snap at Dex because he would NOT just blindly kill off Ellen Wolf. Prado's mea culpa at the end of the ep was predictable if not totally anticipated. I half wanted Dex to just end it right then and there, but alas, more Prado Bonding Time is slated for next week.

But perhaps above anything else, I get the sense there seems to be a whole lot more simmering under the surface as it pertains to Prado, and that has me a) suspicious and b) wary of any further involvement on Dex's part in the Prado world.

And while you could make the argument that Dexter is also one thing in public and another thing in private, there is a BIG difference: Dex has his emotions under control and in check; he not does he fly off the handle or use his "condition" for personal vendettas. Prado seems to think he's got Carte Blanche to go after whomever he chooses depending on whether he's had a bad day or not. Oy Vey.

I cannot see how this is BFF routine is going to end well. And next week's preview has got Miguel sitting in on a Dex kill? As in, let me show you how to do it?

Harry must be rolling over in his grave.

Isn't this the part of the code Dexter just swore last week he wanted to keep to himself - that actual killing?

Hello? Is this on?

Whatever.

Now what I did love about Dex this week was his Angel of Death Mercy routine for poor ol' Camilla. I confess I was really hoping they'd take it in this direction because I just couldn't bear the thought of this good woman dying so ... well, awfully. Losing all sense of herself, her faculties, and the pain being beyond anything she could continue to bear had me literally saying, "Just put her out of her misery, Dex."

And he did.

At her request.

And whilst it technically violated Dex's own code of never hurting a friend, this one was definitely worthy of the exception. And, although Camilla has played only a minor role, she is a huge key link to Dex's past - knowing how and what Harry rescued him from, and she seems a much better definition of BFF than Miguel Prado would ever comprehend.

And did Deb just rock it this week or what?

Give that woman her shield already.

Now, she did compromise the Freebo investigation by tipping off her CI they wanted to use him as bait, BUT she backed it up with some awesome all nighter detective work and came up with a new lead on her own!

My concern is my favorite IA snitch is going to not only nail her for it, but also nail her for now being personally involved WITH the CI.

Bummer.

Because I really like where that is going. Adorable, actually.

But can we really think Yuki Amato is NOT going to look for a way to stick it to Deb for screwing up her IA investigation of Quinn (apparently a cop killed because he cut corners, not because they had an affair ... seriously?). Me thinks this will get juicier as we had toward the last half of episodes for the second season.

And can I just say the way they shot Jennifer Carpenter moving around the briefing room, with every folder and picture of the Freebo victims spread on the floor as she tried to piece the new lead together whilst balancing the effect of what would have been a metric ton of caffeine so as to make it seem as if she had Tourette's ... GENIUS!

The tempo of her line delivery was just.too.funny.

Get some sleep, Deb.

And I'm LOVING the Detective Batista story with the Vice cop. It's about time Angel had a good woman in his life.

New episodes of Dexter air Sunday at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Check out the official Dexter Web site for the inside scoop on the series.