Marvel To Start TV Production Wing

It’s about damn time!

According to reports, Marvel is looking to make the leap from comic book page to the big screen, and now to the small screen. Apparently, the studio has created a new arm, Marvel Television, which is looking to bring series ranging from live action to animated, all to your homes.

No details have been released as to just what they plan to push out, but with news coming that the studio is looking to make projects revolving around lower tier characters, one can’t help but think that this would be the perfect outlet for that. Personally, I absolutely adore this news. For one, this is a perfect step forward for the studio. Also, this is an amazing way for the studio to really make an impact with the characters in shows like Heroes and Smallville. While I’m not the massive fan of Smallville that I know a lot of people are, I have been waiting for something like this to come from the Marvel universe, and who better to front it than the studio themselves. This could not be better news.

Go see something good!

VIDEO: First 8-Minutes of ABC's V...

ABC has released the first 8 minutes of their upcoming remake of the cult classic '80's television series, V, which premieres on Tuesday, November 3rd at 8:00pm ET/PT. Here's the show's synopsis:

Simultaneously appearing over every major city in the world, the Visitors (or V’s) promote a message of peace. Through their generous offer to share advanced technology, the V’s build a following that may actually hide a more malevolent agenda, one that twists a very deep component of human nature — devotion. While the world quickly becomes fascinated with the V’s and their link to wonders just beyond the reach of human understanding, FBI Counter Terrorist Agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) discovers a secret hidden beneath the skin of every V - a secret that may threaten the lives of everyone close to her. Yet for her teenage son, Tyler (Logan Huffman), the V’s are his ticket to something big and hopeful-a new chance for mankind to unite in common goals. To Chad Decker (Scott Wolf), a career-hungry news anchor, his exclusive interview with Anna (Morena Baccarin), the leader of the V’s, is crucial to his dominating the airwaves. Also unsure about the Visitors is Father Jack (Joel Gretsch), a priest questioning his faith in the wake of the Visitors’ arrival. Seeking answers outside the church, Father Jack discovers there are other dissidents who believe the Visitors are not who they say they are, including Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut), who is faced with his own life-altering decision when the V’s show up. Never has there been more at stake — it truly is the dawning of a new day. “V” also stars Lourdes Benedicto as Ryan’s fianc’e, Valerie, and Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, an alluring Visitor who sets her sights on Tyler.

I normally hate these little previews, but for this show, I'm beyond excited. I'm not making judgements yet, so neither should you. Just enjoy the awesomeness. You are very welcome.



Go see something good!

NEWS: Ellen Page, Sean Tillman and Alia Shawkat To Pen HBO Series...

This morning, even through a HUGE freezing of Twitter due to some much talked about business, we are getting at least one particularly interesting news story.

It appears as though Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat (Maeby Fünke from "Arrested Development") and musician Har Mar Superstar (Sean Tillman) are writing a single-camera series for HBO called, "Stitch N' Bitch." The triptec will also serve as the shows executive producers, which will follow a pair of hipster girls as they move from Williamsburg, New York to Silverlake, Los Angeles to make it as artists.

The two actresses in question are also considering starring in this project, but nothing is really in the works to any extent yet.

I love Ellen Page, so this project is definitely getting the benefit of the doubt from this guy, but this just sounds beyond painfully cliche and really dull. /Film actually sums up my thoughts better than I ever could:

I’ll give this one the benefit of the doubt until given some reason not to. I like Page, love Shawkat and, despite the fact that the lead characters are hipsters, always so easy to hate, this is a comedy. More than likely, there’s a lot of good poking fun at rootless, foolish trust-fund kids in store. I’m mentally conjuring up an image of a show kind of like Absolutely Fabulous or (dare I say it?) The Young Ones, both of which were able to lampoon extreme or sub-cultural characters without actually treating them poorly.

The only question that I have for this project is how much will this crew actually write? Will they do a Joss Whedon and while not writing all the episodes, have a hands on approach to the project, or something like The United States of Tara, where Diablo Cody wrote the series, but episodes were handed off to a group of writers who weren't the former stripper. If they pull a Whedon, than this is going to be something I'm interested in, however, if they are more producers than writers, than it may just be a pit too painful.

What do YOU think?

Go see something good!

VIDEO: The Goats Mustache Is Cameron Diaz...

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TV: Fringe --"Night of Desirable Objects"--

Before I get into this recap/review, one needs to know a bit of philosophy/backstory to really get the main question this show is wanting the viewers to ask. Here, let Slackers enlighten you:



This is basically the premise of what the second season of Fringe will follow. Agent Dunham has returned from a special trip to an alternate reality where Leonard Nimoy is some random ass businessman. Now, onto the review/recap:

Leaving off with one of the most iconic last shots, and finales for that matter, of last fall season, Fringe is back, and it couldn't be at a better time. TV is lacking, stuck in the mud filled with an office of losers, a hospital of sex starved doctors, and a bunch of other random crews, Fringe is a welcome return to sci-fi thrillers, in the same vein as The X-Files.

Season 2 kicked off last week, but was a bit of a let down. Sure, it was a fine premiere, but it left the ONE overarching question of the show, hanging out on a limb. What happened to Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) when she traveled to an alternate universe? What does that reality represent for her and the rest of the show's participants? And what's up with Massive Dynamic founder William Bell (Leonard Nimoy)? All of these questions were unsolved at the opening of the first episode, and left open, if not more so, at the end. Hell, as I will get to at the end, the episode may have opened up even MORE questions.

What is even more sad, the second episode, "Night of Desirable Objects", does little to close any of those open doors. Instead of sticking to it's overarching themes and questions, it reverts back to it's concept of being a show full of one-offs. While you DO need to have seen previous episodes to fully get these episodes, they aren't a necessity. This episode does that exact thing, and while it's really entertaining, I know the show can do better.

This episode pits our heroes, Agent Dunham, Peter and Walter Bishop (Josh Jackson and John Noble, with the new FBI Agent mysteriously missing from much of this episode), against some sort of tunnel-burrowing monster. While this may sound interesting, it is nothing compared to the truly intriguing aspect of the show, in the deterioration of Dunham, in her psyche, skills, and emotions.

Still recovering from her trip to some sort of unexplained alternate universe (it even SEEMS like they are intentionally toying with us, as Walter begins to explain about alternate universes, but then is interrupted.), and is beginning to hear things. Is this due to her trip? Or is this due to her previously discussed "super powers"? Who knows, as it seems as though the people behind the show really may just be going along with it as well. That said, I have total faith in the creators, that SOMEONE knows what is going on, and these questions are what keeps me coming back. I WISH more shows left me with a single question, let alone a billion, as this rather stellar show does.

Also, there is a really interesting subplot with Agent Francis, Charlie, who is now a monster in human flesh. The premiere's villain is still alive, and in the body of one of the closest people to our main lead. This is definitely one of the stories to watch, as there is something about ready to explode inside this shape shifter.

All in all this is more of a recap than a review, because it would be me simply praising how amazing this show is. It's fun, interesting, visually stunning, and really well acted. This IS the show that you should be watching on Thursday nights, I only wish that it would get back to being Fringe, instead of being the best episodes of the X-Files.

FRINGE //"Night of Desirable Objects"// -- A-

Go see something good!

TV: Community --"Pilot"--

Sometimes, a shows cast is what makes me watch, almost more than anything else.

That's exactly why I finally decided to catch up and watch the pilot episode for the new NBC comedy, Community. Now, as I stated before, and many times over, television comedies don't hit with me, especially on NBC. Give me a smart, or even trashy, drama like say Dollhouse, Fringe, or True Blood, and you have a faithful viewer. However, you throw a Scrubs or Office in my face, and I lose interest.

That's not the case for Community. Starring The Soup's Joel McHale, who plays Jeff, a suspended lawyer who is back in school after his college degree is deemed invalid by the State Bar. The show centers on Jeff's experiences going to community college and the people he meets there. John Oliver (The Daily Show) plays Duncan, a professor at the community college, whom Jeff represented as a lawyer. He also meets a girl, Britta, played by the gorgeous Gillian Jacobs, who is his main love interest in the series, as well as Pierce (Chevy Chase), an older student who has been married seven times.

The cast also features Danny Pudi as Abed, Jeff's faithful, right hand man, and Donald Glover, best known for being a part of the Derrick Comedy Troupe, a very funny comedy group, that everyone should check out. The cast of this is the true star of the show.

The pilot episode follows Jeff, in his hapless attempt to woo his love interest, Britta, by creating a fake Spanish study group. All goes a rye as the group begins to slowly fall apart, until Jeff believes that he has all the answers to the test, via his friend Duncan. Things go down hill from there, as he simply has a stack of yellow papers, until the show ends with the group getting back together, to attempt to pass their upcoming Spanish test.

This show is what I love about comedies, and also what I really hate about them. First, what I love.

This show is easily the funniest 30 minutes that I have had a chance to see this season so far. Sure, we are only a few weeks into the season, but that doesn't take away from just how hilarious this pilot is. It's not a dumb comedy either, quite on the contrary. There are many pop culture refrences for geeks like me to chew on, and Joel McHale is just a real blast to watch, and his interchanges with Oliver and Pudi are pure comedic gold. Also, the dedication to John Hughes at the end of the episode was a real class move, as the episode is full of Breakfast Club refrences. It's a really witty show, which makes me much more interested into where the show goes from here. Do I expect it to keep it's steam up for the whole season, not likely. But do I expect to laugh a ton? Without a doubt.

However, after you get pass that, the show really doesn't offer much in the way of intriguing plot or anything of that sort. Yes, I know the show isn't about that, but in a world where we also have Fringe on during the same hour, it really doesn't stand up. The show doesn't seem like it will offer much in the way of story, outside of a love story involving Jeff and Britta, which will be fun to watch, but not something comperable to that of a full Fringe season.

Also, there is something visually uninteresting about television comedies. It's a minor complaint, but I really hope that there is a day where the most visually interesting comedy on television isn't a show like 30 Rock, that, while funny, still doesn't look all that interesting. This has an interesting look, much like Scrubs (which is the only thing I'll give that show), but still leaves me wanting more. Maybe it's the dramas that we have, and I'm simply spoiled, but you can't blame me for wanting.

However, that really doesn't effect the overall reaction one will have to this show. The main thing that you will remember after watching the pilot is what lines you will be quoting to your friends. This show has one liner after one liner, and is the perfect arena for McHale to shine. While his previous efforts (a pilot for an American version of the I.T. Crowd mainly) have faltered, this should be the perfect place for him to show his chops. It's not a life changing show, but it is one that will change many viewers weekly TV schedules. It's funny, witty, charming, and most importantly, it will be all those things a week, a month, and hopefully a season from now.

All in all, the cast of this show is what will keep me watching for every episode to come. The show could be about kittens jumping rope, and seeing Joel McHale on screen talking about it would get me to watch. Why do you think people watch The Soup? The cast is brilliant, and the first pilot, while not amazing, is totally worth checking out before new episodes air every Thursday at 9:30 on NBC. The show is great, and a perfect Hulu watch after finishing up your weekly Fringe viewing, and leading into the Daily Show on Comedy Central. Just saying.

COMMUNITY //Pilot// - B

Go see something good!

TV: Modern Family --- "Pilot" ---

I'm not the biggest fan of television comedies.

The Office is totally a miss on me, 30 Rock is fun, but nothing I'd watch weekly, and Scrubs may be the worst television show of the modern era. At least one of them. However, this season, besides return shows like Fringe and Dollhouse, and rookie dramas like Mercy and FlashForward, is mainly being buzzed as the season of the comedy.

First we got Community (which I will be talking about sometime tomorrow), a really witty comedy starring Joel McHale, host of the Soup. Then we have the other hugely anticipated comedy, one of the only shows to show a full pilot at Critics Week a while back, Modern Family. Coming out of that and other press events, the show has gotten huge buzz, and I must say, it's all justified.

Basically, this show is a satirical look at three different families and the trials they face in each of their own uniquely comedic ways. You have Claire and Phil Dunphy, the cliche modern family. Phil is the "hip" father, who "texts and knows every dance to High School Musical." These two are the crux of the pilot episode, and often have the funniest moments, particularly coming from Ty Burell who plays Phil. There really is not a dull moment, and he arguably has the best single moment, when he slips on some baby oil he was using to loosen his son's head from between the bars of a banister.

Then there is the old guy, Al Bundy, I mean Jay Prichett played by Ed O'Neil, and his hot latina wife, Gloria, played quite well by Sofia Vergara. The two have a son, Manny, who falls in love, or believes he is in love, with a 16 year old girl by the name of Brenda. This portion of the show is arguably the slowest, but has the best payoff when you get to the final reveal.

The last couple we meet are the gay duo of Cameron and Mitchell, who have recently gotten back from Vietnam with more than just a vacation under their belts. They adopted a young child named Lily. This ultimatley leads to Cameron inviting Mitchell's family over, and it's unveild that, while we learned about these three couples seperatley, that they are actually all related. Jay is Mitchell's father, and Claire isn his sister, which, while not being all to surprising, does make me feel like this show will be much more connected than this rather awkward, if hilarious, pilot.

The show does have a bit more than laughs though. Jay goes through what is the shows most dynamic change, as before it is stated that Cameron and Mitchell have adopted, he goes into a diatribe about how the two would be unfit to parent, and how Mitchell would basically be better off without Cameron. However, when he sees how the two are with the child, and how everyone else seems so supportive, he decides that maybe he was wrong. The pilot had little surprise to it, but it was quite enjoyable to watch.

Also, the show is insanely hilarious. The interchanges between Claire and Phil are amazing and arguably the best moments come between Mitchell and Cameron. Take the interchanges between Justin Long and Brandon Routh from Zack and Miri Make a Porno (the best part of that film by the way), take out the vulgarity, and add more heart, and you have what is basically their scenes in Modern Family. The show also gives us a hint as to what types of things to expect, particularly from the parents. The events are so cliche and stock, that it's a really great insight into how the couples are going to parent (the scheduling of a certain punishment by Claire and Phil being a highlight).

Sure, the pilot left me feeling a bit empty, at least wanting more of a surprise, but it also left me wanting mroe, which is what all good pilots do. This is one of the better ones.

Keep your eyes peeled for Modern Family when it airs Wednesdays at 9pm on ABC.

MODERN FAMILY //Pilot// - B+ (I'm doing letter grades for Television reviews)

Come back for more TV reviews, of Grey's Anatomy, Fringe, Community, and FlashForward. I should also have full reviews of 9, The Informant!, Bronson and hopefully The Burning Plain or Ong Bak 2.

Go see something good!

QUESTION: TV On The Blog...

So, instead of simply tweeting or putting a facebook status up (which everyone SHOULD follow, because I think I'm pretty entertaining and could always use more followers), I have decided to make this a little post.

The idea for this post is simple.

Along with the fall film season kicking off, the fall TV season has gotten underway, and I have dug myself into a few television shows. From intellectual fair like Dollhouse, to comedies like Community, to less than stellar trash like Grey's Anatomy, I follow a few shows. Here's what I watch:

Grey's Anatomy (Thursdays @ 9pm - ABC)
Fringe (Thursdays @ 9pm - FOX)
Community (Thursdays @ 9:30pm - NBC)
Dollhouse (Fridays @ 9pm - FOX)
Modern Family (Wednesdays @ 9pm - ABC)
Bored to Death (Sundays @ 9pm - HBO)

Now, with Thurdsdays being a giant clusterfuc* from 9-10, I don't get to watch all three in the same night. However, that doesn't bug me to much. That said, I am wondering what you all think about me covering these shows here on I Are Movies/Facebook. Is it something you would read if say, I wrote a short little blurb (500 or so words) on each of them, or is it something you would skip over?

This is basically all I would like to know. That, and what the hell do you all watch?

Go see something good!

TV: True Blood Episode 1 & 2 Review/Wrap Up...

Ahhh, vampires. How you have a horrible cinematic history.

Actually, only recently has the cinematic outings involving the toothy beings have been popular, and the quality has been quite a mixed bag. For every brilliant piece of celluloid like Let The Right One In, we the people get simply mediocre pieces of lard like Twilight. That said, TV really hasn't had an upstanding vampire television show since Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. Well, starting its second season, True Blood looks to add something to the blood sucking canon. And what an addition it is, and will be.

Here's what you need to know.

Based off of the best selling series of novels written by Charlaine Harris, True Blood follows the lives of Sookie Stackhouse (Rogue...uh...Anna Paquin), a mind reading waitress in a small Louisiana town, Bon Temps, who falls for Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a 173 year old Vampire who happens to have an eye for Sookie as well. In the first season, along with following these two lovers and their tumultuous relationship, there has also been a rash of murders involving women who have had relations with vampires. This is the main mystery, and it all stems back to women who not only have relations with vampires, but also have had relations with Sookies six packed brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Near the end of the season, it is revealed that Rene, a friend of Jason's, is actually a guy named Drew Marshall, who simply had a fake Cajun accent.

Along with the overall plot of season one, they also hint at plots that will play out in the current season, the second of three planned as of this date. Bill, to save Sookie, was forced to turn a young girl, Jessica, into a vampire, and in turn has to have her live with him, as shes "too annoying", for fellow vampire Eric, to care for. Also, while sitting in prison, Jason decides that he should join an anti-vampire movement, the Fellowship of the Sun. Also, for Merlotte's owner Sam, a shape shifter, has a past "friend" return, named Maryanne, whose powers don't become known until this new season.

The last shot of season one involved a dead body, with simply a few painted toenails showing, and Sookie and Tara (Sookies bff, played by Rutina Wesley) screaming. Many people simply thought that was Tara's cousin, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), who was also openly gay. However, season 2 picks up at that very second, and to all of our surprise, it was not Lafayette. It was Miss Jeanette, who had performed an "exorcism" for Tara and her mother. Lafayette in turn has been kidnapped by the aforementioned Eric, and in the second episode, is for all accounts and purposes, being turned into a vampire.

Not much has really taken up yet in the season, but what is really nice about the first two episodes, is actually two fold. First, it's really heartening to see that, so far, the writers all seem to really understand where they want this season to go. Then, compared to the lackluster opening to the first season, to see the second season kick off with such a bang really has my hopes high.

A few things HAVE happened in the opening however, particularly in Bill and Sookie's relationship, and Jason and the G.O.D's relationship.

In the opening episode, Sookie discovers that Bill has been living, and will be living with another woman, who is not only younger, but quite the hot piece of ass Jessica. This throws Sookie off the deep end. However, she ends up taking him back, and in the following episode, begins to grow to really enjoy her company. That said, the end of the second episode leaves everything out in the open. Sookie brings Jessica to her families house, who have been on the hunt for her ever since her disappearance/turning. The episode ends with Bill telling Sookie to get the hell out of there, and both Bill and Jessica looking at confronting Jessica's father, who has been revealed to be quite abusive.

The other major storyline gets picked up primarily in the second episode. Jason is in full Jesus kick, and is now attending the Light of Day leadership camp, where he becomes the star pupil. Tara gets a lot more screen time, at least in comparison to the opening of season 1, as she is beginning to have some sort of romantic relationship with fellow "rehab" mate Eggs, and Maryanne has finally come out and shown us what her powers truly are. She "charms" people at Merlotte's Bar, and even charms Sam into turning into his shape shifting form, a Dog, all of which he is unable to control. That is the primary points that all should know, and for more information on the series, if you are interested, you can go to HBO, and actually watch the thing on Sunday nights at 9 pm.

To me, the best thing about this show, and the primary difference between this and its closest relative, Twilight, is both the female lead, and her relationship to the male lead. In Twilight, the female is completely mindless, and no matter the amount of shit she is given, she will still fawn for the guy who would kill her if he had the chance. However, in True Blood, Sookie has a mind of her own, and Bill does as well. Both have a deep love for each other, and they go through fights, just like any couple. If Bella saw Edward living with a sexy piece of ass, she would be all like, I'm down with that, if you would still have me Edward, all in a wide eyed puppy dog face. But instead, Sookie flips her lid, and tells Bill just what she thinks. It's a much easier role and performance to get attached to, and that, in turn, allows for the viewer to get much deeper into the twos relationship as a whole. Moyer is also stellar as the southern gentleman Bill, and really brings a lot of heart into a show that otherwise could play itself out, at least play as some sort of high class smut that HBO has pumped out like Entourage. Without these good performances, the show would be of the same quality of Entourage, just with deeper themes.

Those themes also really add a lot to the show. The biggest theme that the show deals with is gay rights. Vampirism is a play for gay rights, and in the show, it really works, particularly with the new addition of the new Jason storyline, bringing religion into the equation. It may be a bit up front and in your face, but in the second season, it seems to be played pretty straight, and rather subdued. It's most easily comparable to what Bryan Singer did with X-Men and X-2 as to what Brett Ratner did with the drek fest that was X-3. It lets the story breathe, while still playing with these themes, instead of forcing these themes upon the story, as Hackner did in X-3, with the addition of Angel, and other things.

However, to me, the true star of this in the setting. The show takes place in a small town in the deep south, which not only has more than its fair share of religious background and history, but the area also breathes style albeit particularly Gothic. It's a grungy little town with a bunch of distinct characters, and for these people to live in such a stylistically Gothic and rural area, is something much more fresh than the urban landscapes that rule television.

Finally, the opening credits. Can we just have a moment here to mention just how awesome these credits are. In the midst of just a minute and a half, you get an, albeit brief discussion of redemption, all wrapped in this stylish opening, to the tune of Bad Things by Jace Everett. The song oozes sexuality and really matches the shows grungy feeling. It's a raw, twangy tune that is a pitch perfect match for the show. Watch the opening titles below.



All in all, the show may not be the biggest intellectual boost, but it's not just mindless smut like many people have said. It deals with many issues that, while sometimes standard fodder for television, have rarely been done with such an entertaining and raw style, that this show is really a must see. It's a message filled tale of love, wrapped in a Gothic shell, and I personally love every second of it. So will you.

I will be posting my thoughts on True Blood after two new episodes have aired, and they will feature my thoughts on only those new episodes, and season two as a whole. For my thoughts on season one, come back to this post, or check out my previous True Blood discussions by clicking on the True Blood tag below.

Go see something good!

TRAILER: Hung SFW TV Trailer...

This may be it. Finally, Thomas Jane may have his much deserved break out role.

Most of you will know Jane from either the much maligned Punisher adaptation in which he starred as the titular character, or the much AWESOME Frank Darabont directed adaptation of the Stephen King novella, The Mist. However, he's not really a house hold name.

That said, HBO is banking on that changing rather quickly, with his new show, Hung. I've been seeing trailer after trailer about this television show on the network, and am beyond intrigued. The premise is very interesting, and is game for quite a bit of comedy: Jane plays a high-school basketball coach / gym teacher who realizes that he can become a star by exploiting his giant…sexual apparatus, and the cast and crew are great. Anne Heche co-stars as his "pimp", and the main reason I'm interested in this show is that it's being produced by Election/Sideways director, Alexander Payne, who also helmed the pilot. Along with the upcoming season of True Blood (THIS Sunday, I will have a review up Monday), this show is why I think HBO will be having a huge summer season. So without further ado, check out the trailer for Hung, which premieres June 28th.



Go see something good!

TV REVIEW: True Blood Ep. 1 & 2 ("Strange Love"/"First Taste")

One of the television shows that I will still watch to this day, is Six Feet Under. One of the best modern dramas, Under was the brain child of writer Alan Ball, best known for writing American Beauty.

Well, Ball is back with his sexed up adaptation of the True Blood series of Vampire novels. Season One has hit DVD, and with Season Two about to kick off in a few weeks, I have decided to go through and briefly review each of the episodes, in hope that those interested may pick up when the new season begins.

With the discussion of True Blood, comes obvious comparisons to the monster hit film, Twilight. However, those comparisons are definitely unjust, at least through the first two episodes of this rather interesting television series.

True Blood as a whole is a new television series based around the Sookie Stackhouse series of books, and details the co-existence of vampires and humans in a fictional Louisiana town called Bon Temps.

In "Strange Love", we first meet the aforementioned Sookie Stackhouse, who is a telepathic waitress at a small bar in Bon Temps. The series takes places roughly two years after the coming out of vampires into mainstream public culture. Sookie's life is going as normal as a telepathic waitress' life could be, until things got even more out there when the 175-year-old vamp Bill Compton walked into Merlotte's Bar. We also meet Sookie's friend, Tara, who after quitting her job, comes to also work at Merlotte's, and we discover that she may have a slight little crush on Sookie's brother, Jason, a sexed up troublemaker who may be on the wrong side of the law after a sex act gone awry. The episode ends with a group of vampire drainers, the Rattray's, who were stopped by Sookie earlier in the episode, from draining Compton of his blood, which happens to be a highly addictive and sought after drug for mortals.

That is where "First Taste" picks up. Compton comes to Sookie's aid and kills the Rattray's, but Sookie is badly beaten. To save her, Bill forces her to drink a large amount of his blood, which is not only a drug, but aids ten fold in the healing process. It also allows Compton to know if Sookie is in trouble, as he is now able to "feel" her. If she is in trouble, he can come and aid her, no matter the distance. In return, Sookie invites him over to meet her Grandmother and her brother, who has been released from custody. He is discovered to only be a person of interest, which leaves us begging the question, who is causing this rash of murders, with all of the victims being females who have had relationships with vampires. This episode ends with Sookie running into a few interesting looking vampires while out looking for Bill.

I had heard of the series before the DVD release, mainly with the fact that the series has received insane critical acclaim and star Anna Paquin won a Golden Globe for her efforts.

However, while waiting to go to a bonfire, I watched a 30 minute documentary on the series, that was a recap of season one, narrated by creator Alan Ball. That documentary, which I have posted, was so interesting, and showed me the major plot points, which all seemed very intriguing, that I just had to pick the DVD up. Well, I was not disappointed.

The main reason for watching this show is the acting. Where I thought films like Twilight brought out very wooden acting, particularly in Twilight, that this came off as the polar opposite. Anna Paquin is really fun to watch, as she not only is stunning to look at, but her character is very intriguing. She is able to read everyone's mind, and there are many things that that could cause. She has never been able to have a real or lengthy relationship, and her friends, while close, can't completely open up to her. While she doesn't hit every note, the character is interesting enough that it drives the show forward.

As does the rest of the cast. Stephen Moyer is great as Compton, and while it's a cliche role with a few cliche moments in the performance (particularly his first appearance) as he plays it dark and brooding, that when he opens up to Sookie, their interchanges are really well done, and very sweet. He's a good guy who happens to be a vampire, and not a robot (like say, Robert Pattinson in Twilight).

The look of the film is also great. It's got a very realistic feel, a much more intimate style than most vampire stories, and reminds me a lot of Six Feet Under, at least in style and scope. The story is allowed to be more intimate as it's not an over the top tale of love and loss, but is much more of a Heroes-esque style show. Vampires, Shape-shifters, and Mind readers live in the open, and this is the story of what that may cause. It doesn't have many special effects, if any, just good character developments, as small as they may be at this point. It's intimate, funny, and did I mention that it is the sexiest show I've seen in a while? Yeah, good stuff.

Also, this may be a little more smart than people may admit.

"You can't blame an entire group for what a few members have done."

Not only is this film sexed up, highly entertaining, and interesting to dig into, but with the first two episodes, come a few quotes like this one that make me think that this show is attempting to be a bit more than entertaining vampire smut. You can look at it many ways, from an allegory for homosexuality, as many of these "superheroes live out in the open" stories have been, but maybe more so it can be read as an allegory for the modern state of American civil rights and racism, particularly with that of people of Islamic faith in post 9/11 America. While the show is primarily entertainment, some of the scenes within these first two episodes are apparently striving for something deeper, allowing for more to chew on.

Oh, and did I mention the music to this show, particularly the opening theme, is badass? No? Well it is.

All in all, there is still a lot left, 10 episodes to be exact. Sure, I do know what happens, but the first two episodes have been such a good time, that I hope you all check out at lest the documentary before season two kicks off in June.

Go see something good!

VIDEO: Taste of True Blood With Alan Ball...

A Taste Of True Blood


I just watched this this evening, and I must say, I am beyond interested. This gives you any and everything that you need to know about season one of the hit vampire series from famous writer, Alan Ball, and it's a perfect set up to season two, which airs June 14th.

Thanks to the awesome blog Loving True Blood In Dallas for the video!

Go see something good!

NEWS: Fringe Gets Its Renewal, But There's A Catch...

Looks like this Fall season will see me hitting up Hulu more than I should.

Last week, we got word that Fox would be not only bringing back Dollhouse, Lie To Me, but also it's highest rated new show, and the highest rated freshman show on TV, Fringe. However, the news also brought us the news that the time slot that Fringe would be living in would be drastically changed.

Instead of owning the Tuesday night slot, it appears that Fox will be moving the show to the hottest and most contested slot on the schedule, Thursday's at 9 p.m.

Yes, you heard me, fans of Fringe will have to make a choice. Fringe will go head to head against Grey's Anatomy (which also had a stellar season finale), CSI, The Office, 30 Rock, and Supernatural. The cooking show, Hell's Kitchen was shown in that slot the last two years, but those shows have yet to appear on Fox's preumptive schedule.

Sure, Fringe held its own against Idol and The Mentalist, and it had a brilliant finale, yet, it will still be a tough test for J.J. Abrams newest series.

What do YOU think will happen in this slot. Give me an order of ratings, from the show that gets the highest, to the lowest.

Go see something good!

FORUM: The Brilliance of Fringe...

Sometimes, a show comes along, that you just know is going to be something to watch out for. Over the past two decades, shows like The X-Files, The Wire, Rome, and Battlestar Galactica have been shows that, while featuring overarching storylines that span seasons, are also able to be picked up, and enjoyed by the everyday viewer.

However, with every piece of brilliance shelled out by television studios, comes a certain cancellation as it’s the idea doesn’t feature a bunch of blondes with the brain capacity of a crap I just took, or a bunch of F list celebrities trying to win a dollar by paying their dignity.

That’s why it was a great surprise to yours truly when it was announced that not only was Fringe coming back for a second season, but Fox ordered a 22-episode season to follow up the shows 20-episode first season. At least someone in Hollywood has a brain.

While the last show I talked about, Dollhouse, was a bit more intellectually stimulating, Fringe has been on a roll as of late, and features a premise that is kind of a mix of the X-Files and the 5400, while not riping off any previous show. It’s taking ideas from other series, but it’s its own monster. A chimera to be exact.

Premiering back in September, Fringe tells the story of FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, who is part of a special government group that investigates different aspects of what are called Fringe Sciences. Things such as telepathy, psychokinesis, and reanimation are all investigated by Dunham along with scientist Walter Bishop and his son Peter. The group was brought together after a series of mysterious experiments, spanning the globe, had begun. Called “The Pattern”, these “experiments” began out of nowhere, but as the series progressed, an apparent connection between “The Pattern” and the global research company, Massive Dynamic, has proven otherwise. Along with the rise a bioterrorist organization called the ZFT, the two sides are also mysteriously connected by a special chemical, developed by Walter and his partner William Bell (the CEO of Massive Dynamic), which was given to Olivia and other children when they were born. The drug, Cortexiphan, is at the root of this series, and it’s what is set to be discussed during the season finale, airing Tuesday at 9 p.m. on FOX.

The main reason that I think this series needs to be seen by more people, is how user friendly the series is.

Sure, the show has it’s season spanning storyline, with the points like what exactly ZFT is, how they are connected to the recent experiments, and what exactly cortexiphan is, but it was one major promise of J.J. Abrams, to make this series easy to follow.

Abrams is the same guy who created the geek favorite (although not one of yours trulys) series, Lost. Where as that show has a plot that not only spans many characters storys, but also time as well. With it’s copious amounts of flash forwards and backs, that show has a insane following, but is not open to new viewers.

However, Fringe is on the other end of the spectrum.

Where as Lost is much more of a comic book style television show, in that a viewer needs to have seen previous episodes to understand the new one, a viewer can skip one, two, or even three episodes of Fringe, and pick it up without to much lost. That’s not always a good thing, but I think it makes each episode more poignant, while still allowing for long time viewers, like myself, to get just that much more out of it. Sure, you will understand a ton more, but as a piece of television, a first time viewer is able to enjoy an episode, no matter where in the shows timeline it stands.

Lost has garnered a certain reputation for being a very complicated show and one that you have to watch every episode. Fringe is in many ways an experiment for us, which is, we believe it is possible to do a show that does have an overall story and end game, which Fringe absolutely does… We can do a show that has that, so that there's a direction the show is going and there's an ultimate story that's being told, but also a show that you don't have to watch episodes one, two and three to tune into episode four -- J.J. ABRAMS

That said, Fringe is full of nuggets for the long time viewer to chew on.

The primary mystery the show attempts to have the viewer decipher is actually so unbeknownst to most viewers, as it is in the interludes to commercial breaks.
One thing that this show, along with Dollhouse, is pioneering is what FOX is calling Remote-Free TV. The normal television drama is roughly 6-7 minutes shorter than Fringe, as the commercial breaks are in small amounts (probably 5 an episode), and only last for 30, 60, or 90 seconds. Also, when the show fades to commercial, one of nine special “glyphs” can be seen, and it is these little images, mainly a frog,
that Abrams has hinted at as to having meaning in the show.

The frogs first appeared outside of the commercial breaks in episode 109, The Dreamscape.

As the episode unfolds, we discover that the frogs produce two separate toxins: 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin – both belong to the family of hallucinogenic tryptamines. While these frogs don’t truly resemble the frog glyphs from the interludes, it goes along with them, along with the Origami frogs which are shown in Walter’s lab notes.

However, within the frog glyph from the breaks, the frogs contain the Greek letter, phi. Phi is a greek letter, that, in mathematics, means what is known as the “Golden Ratio” or 1.6180339887… Many organisms grow according to this ratio, and even the branching veins of humans and animals follow this ratio.

Along with the frogs, each of the other eight glyhps have special meanings

Apple – Split in half, and instead of seeds, human embryos are in their place.
Butterfly – Has bones for wings
Sunflower – Has dragonfly wings as some of the petals, and in the center, there are counter rotating spirals, which represent the Fibbonaci sequence. Also, it has mirror symmetry, and a spade playing card can be seen.
Hand – Has six fingers, seen as a left and right hand (which doesn’t play into the location of the yellow dot seen), and it appears in every episode during the title sequence.
Horn – Shaped as a Fibonacci spiral, and has the number Phi inscribed along the horn.
Leaf – Has a Delta symbol on it
Seahorse – Has a Fibonacci spiral on its side, which can also be seen in the tail
Smoke – Forms a womans face
Yellow dots – Appear in many glyphs, and could be a possible code, as many people believe that the location of the dot along with the glyph could be a code, with the dot being a specific letter, and the glyph being another.

There is evidence relating to each of these glyphs, all of it adding a ton to the experience, at least for me, but I’ll let you all hunt that stuff down. Head over to Fringepedia for all of this information, and then some.

So, enough of my rambling. All I really want to say is that this show is something special. It takes the basis of The X-Files, or a show of that style, and throws in terrorism and a hot ass female lead. What more could you ask for? Relevant issues (big corporations, terrorism, bio-terror, enviornmentalism, etc.), great acting, stunning visuals, and completely engaging story makes this a must see, for those who care to spend an hour in front of the TV on Friday nights at 9 p.m. The season finale is coming up this Tuesday, and I hope this has sparked at least a bit of curiosity for those of you previously not interested.

Go see something good!

TV REVIEW: Dollhouse Ep. 2 - - The Target - -

So, I NEVER really watch all that much television. However, over the past couple of months, I've really gotten behind a few shows. Fringe being the biggest of them, and is my favorite show going today, I also have gotten into, and in the case of Trust Me, out of, a few others. Lie to Me is solid, not great, but the one that really surprised me has been Dollhouse. Sure, we are only two episodes in, but this last one, "The Target", has gotten me excited for what is set to come.

Whenever I bring this show up to people in conversation, the first thing that is asked is, "wtf mate? What is that?". Well, easily put, Dollhouse is about a laboratory that assigns different tasks to its various residents, who then have their memories erased upon the completion of their assignments. One of them is Echo, our main character, played by Eliza Dushku, who is slowly starting to become aware of herself and what's going on - all the while somebody on the outside is trying to bring the Dollhouse down while getting closer to Echo - possibly not aware that she is one of the Dolls he is after. It's the newest show from Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel/Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog/Firefly creator Joss Whedon, and while the pilot was just alright, the second episode is definitely picking up the slack.

Here is the first episode's plot, and thanks to Wikipedia for the quick cover of it...

Echo is introduced as one of the "Actives" in the Dollhouse. The Dollhouse scientist Topher Brink wipes her mind and reprograms her as a ruthlessly efficient kidnapping negotiator. Echo's new personality incorporates memories from another woman who was molested as a child, and it turns out the molester is one of the kidnappers she must now negotiate with. She crumbles in fear during the ransom exchange, nearly getting their client killed. But she is allowed to confront the kidnappers, turning them against each other and rescuing the kidnapped girl. Meanwhile, FBI Agent Paul Ballard struggles with his assignment to uncover information on the Dollhouse, which has destroyed his marriage and is wrecking his career

After a rather lackluster pilot, Dollhouse's second episode, The Target, takes the action up a notch. Echo's newest imprint has her as the perfect date for Richard, an outdoorsman, who takes her on a "romantic" wilderness outing. However, the experience takes a turn for the worse when Richard indicates he will conclude the "date" by hunting her for sport, Rainesford style. Although Echo is imprinted with absolute trust in Boyd Langton, her handler, he is unable to do more than deliver a weapon to her, and she must kill Richard on her own. Afterward the Dollhouse team discovers the handiwork of Alpha, a rogue doll, on the corpse of an unknown assassin. It was Alpha who had maimed a past doctor, Dr. Saunders and butchered the handler Boyd was hired to replace. Then, an FBI agent, Agent Ballard receives an anonymous package concerning Echo's previous identity as a woman named Caroline, and continues his search.

The biggest thing about this second episode is that it felt like the series' proper pilot. The first episode went through a lot of turmoil with rewrites and re-shoots, and really took a hit in quality. There wasn't much of a back story into exactly what Dollhouse is, and it felt like a filler episode more than a pilot. However, this newest episode sets up most of the back story, at least into what looks to be the biggest part of the plot, including our main villain, Alpha, as well as the relationship between Echo and her handler, Boyd Langton, played by Harry Lennix. It's an interesting relationship, that doesn't go for the stereotypical love interest style plot, at least it's not setting up to be like that.

Also, the visuals to this show are rather top notch for a tv show. There is a lot of movement within the frame, as well as with the camera, that adds a lot of drama to this sci-fi series. Where as the first episode felt sort of hap-hazard in it's filmmaking, and watered down in a way, this episode was really well shot and directed. The main villain of this episode was interesting, and the idea of this series will have you intrigued from the very start.

Another improvement has come in the script. As I stated above, the pilot went through various re-writes, and this second script just seemed to be vastly improved over the last episode. It's a really interesting concept, with a great set of characters, and along with the sci-fi aspect, Joss Whedon knows how to do humor alongside the action. Best line of the episode - "Do you know how to shoot a gun", Echo: "I have four brothers, none of them Democrats". There is just a lot of great dialogue like that in this script, and it has my hopes high for the following series.

However, and this is just a small thing, to me, the real star of the show is Fran Kranz, who plays Topher. He's just really funny, and yet, his relationship with Echo and the rest of the Dolls is one that I think could be mined for some deep ideas.

Sure, it can be quite confusing, but if you don't mind doing a bit of heavy lifting, and a lot of paying attention, please, give Dollhouse a chance. It's available 24/7 on Hulu for crying out loud. Give it a shot.

Dollhouse is available online here, or can be seen on Fox, Friday nights at 9 pm.

Are these TV reviews something you would like me to continue? If so, I may do this for Castle, and Fringe, when it returns in roughly 5 weeks.

Go see something good!