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TCA News: Is PBS becoming the new HBO with quality hits like DOWNTON ABBEY?

DOWNTON ABBEY | ©PBS

PBS kicked off the Winter 2012 Television Critics Association this week with its executive session with President and CEO Paula Kerger. One of the talking points was a recent story in the New York Times that said PBS is giving the premium channels like HBO and Showtime a run for their money – especially with the success of such quality programming as DOWNTON ABBEY. “It’s funny how may people have said to me, ‘oh, PBS looks cool again,’” admits Kerger. “I’ve always thought PBS was cool, but that’s just my opinion. I think what we’re trying to do … is […]Read On »


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TV Review: REVENGE – Season 1 – “Duress”

Connor Paolo and Josh Bowman in REVENGE - Season 1 - "Duress" | ©2011 ABC/Carol Kaelson

Stars: Emily VanCamp, Madeleine Stowe, Henry Czerny, Josh Bowman, Nick Wechsler, Gabriel Mann, Ashley Madekwe, Christa B. Allen, Connor Paolo Writer: Elle Treidman Director: Jamie Babbit Network: ABC, Wednesday nights, 10 p.m. Original Telecast: January 4, 2012 Ah, the evil Tyler (Ashley Holmes) is really going off the deep end – which we knew he was going to. Good thing Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) can turn any situation to her advantage in her relentless pursuit of revenge against the Graysons, who were behind getting her father convicted of a crime he did not commit. Meanwhile, it looks like the divorce between Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe) and Conrad Grayson (Henry Czerny) is going to […]Read On »


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CD Review: The Best Scores of 2011

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS- PART TWO soundtrack | ©2011 Water Tower Music

THE BEST SCORES OF 2011 THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (Thomas Newman / Relativity) There’s always been something ethereal, if not downright unearthly about the dreamy, often rhythmic sound that’s allowed Thomas Newman to become the first alt. rocker to make it big as a film composer. It’s a sound that’s particularly well-suited to the spiritual, conveying a universe behind the walls of reality in such scores as THE RAPTURE, OSCAR AND LUCINDA and PHENOMENON. Now Newman’s on the side of the angels with hats for this moving, faith-based Phillip K. Dick adaptation. His mesmerizing mix employs strings and acoustic guitar, suspenseful […]Read On »


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Exclusive Interview: Former LOST star Nestor Carbonell talks RINGER and THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Nestor Carbonell in RINGER - Season 1 | ©2011 The CW/Eric Liebowitz

In the CW’s freshman series RINGER, which airs Tuesdays at 9 PM, Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan. Wealthy Siobhan invited Bridget to New York, then faked her own death. Bridget has adopted Siobhan’s identity, partly to get away from Victor Machado, the determined FBI agent played by Nestor Carbonell, as Victor wants Bridget to testify against a homicidal mob boss. Back in 2004, Carbonell starred with future RINGER colleague Ioan Gruffudd in the short-lived legal drama CENTURY CITY. The New York-born actor has also been a series regular on SUDDENLY SUSAN and THE TICK, but […]Read On »


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CD Review: WOLFEN soundtrack

WOLFEN soundtrack | ©2011 Intrada Records

In the late 1970s and super early 1980s, James Horner had been clawing his way up from the low-budget likes of  THE LADY IN RED, HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP and BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, giving 110% of his already formidable thematic talent to these enjoyable Roger Corman-produced flicks. It was only a matter of time before Hollywood would notice, and 1981’s one-two Orion Picture horror punch of THE HAND and WOLFEN would deservedly take Horner into the big leagues- even if these two thrillers remain cult items. Smong soundtrack fans, they’ve also been two of James Horner’s most-requested releases. Now […]Read On »


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CD Review: RAPTURE soundtrack

RAPTURE soundtrack | ©2011 Intrada Records

In the early 1960’s, Georges Delerue was well established in Europe for his delicately classical, and distinctly French approach to such dramas as THE SOFT SKIN and CONTEMPT. It was this poetic sound that finally took him to Hollywood by mid-decade, with one of his first English language scores ironically accompanying the French setting of 1965’s RAPTURE. No longer obscure thanks to Intrada’s soundtrack release and the film’s accompanying DVD debut on Twilight Time, RAPTURE is a true revelation in Delerue’s resume of early masterworks. The composer’s voice is immediately recognizable in his use of harps, dulcimers and languid string […]Read On »


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Movie Review: THE IRON LADY

THE IRON LADY movie poster | ©2011 The Weinstein Company

Rating: PG-13 Stars: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Harry Lloyd, Alexandra Roach, Iain Glen, Anthony Head, Richard E. Grant Writer: Abi Morgan Director: Phyllida Lloyd Distributor: The Weinstein Company Release Date: December 30, 2011 There are a number of reasons to see THE IRON LADY. Foremost, as one might expect, is Meryl Streep’s phenomenal performance as Margaret Thatcher, both at the peak of her power and in her later dementia. Streep doesn’t do an impersonation of the well-known public figure. Instead, she makes internal sense of every action shown here, whether she is cajoling the shade of her husband […]Read On »


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TV Review: CHUCK – Season 5 – “Vs. The Baby”

Abigail Moore and Ryan McPartlin in CHUCK - Season 5 - "Vs. The Baby" | ©2011 NBC/Greg Gayne

Stars: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Adam Baldwin, Vik Sahay, Scott Krinsky, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Ryan McPartlin Writer: Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc Director: Matt Barber Network: NBC, airs Friday nights Original Telecast: December 30, 2011 For its fifth and final season CHUCK has been firing on all cylinders, wrapping up loose plot threads, bringing back important characters and essentially building up a place where our characters (we hope) will live in some sort of form of happily ever after once the finale is over. This week with “Vs. The Baby”, we’re into a very Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) centered episode. At the end […]Read On »


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CD Review: DIRTY GIRL soundtrack

DIRTY GIRL soundtrack | ©2011 Lakeshore Records

It’s been a long time since the glory song-soundtrack days of FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH and THE BREAKFAST CLUB, LP’s so full of instantly great, eternally listenable FM hits that you were guaranteed to wear their vinyl out. Set in 1987 DIRTY GIRL has that awesome pop-rock flashback power, with an accent on Grlll Power that makes its heroine anything but a hussy. With Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn” standing for the boring Oklahoma digs she flees from in search of her biological dad in Fresno, DIRTY GIRL brings on a fun road trip with the proto-punk likes of Bow […]Read On »


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Exclusive Interview: CHUCK star Mark Christopher Lawrence looks back on five seasons of Buy More fun

Mark Christopher Lawrence in CHUCK | ©NBC/Mitchell Haaseth

Actor Mark Christopher Lawrence is known to stage audiences for his comedy in both the stand-up and gospel arenas. In film, he’s had small roles in huge pictures, including TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, CRIMSON TIDE and the cult favorite FEAR OF A BLACK HAT. On television, the Los Angeles native has appeared on many series, but most viewers know him for his series regular role as Big Mike on NBC’s CHUCK, which airs Fridays at 8 PM. In five seasons of CHUCK, Big Mike has gone from being the manager of the Buy More store to an enthusiastic assistant manager. […]Read On »


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