Showtime

DVD Review: Beautiful Series Set For ‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show’

BrianTT — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – A lot of classic TV comedies are often pointed to as being “ahead of their time”. The quirky, weird, and memorable “It’s Garry Shandling Show” wasn’t really ahead of its time because there’s nothing quite like it on the air. The groundbreaking cult classic is now available in a gorgeous 16-disc set from Shout Factory and it’s just what Shandling fans deserve.

DVD Rating: 4.5/5.0

Between his stint as the heir apparent to Johnny Carson (Shandling guest hosted “The Tonight Show” an incredible number of times) and the pioneering television he would do on one of the best sitcoms of all time, “The Larry Sanders Show,” there was “It’s Garry Shandling Show,” which ran for 72 episodes from 1986 to 1990. The program was the first ever broadcast on Showtime and would later be rerun and more widely seen on FOX.

Showtime had given Shandling and his co-writer Alan Zweibel the freedom to do whatever they wanted on the network and they decided to try and tear down the sitcom template. From it’s memorable theme song to Shandling’s constant breaking of the fourth wall, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” was more of a theatrical experience than a television one. It was surreal, experimental, and barely got the credit it deserved when it was on the air. Sure, it was also very inconsistent (especially in the early episodes), but it’s fascinating to now watch how the show developed over its four years on the air and how clearly it influenced the great TV that Shandling would make in the ’90s.

It’s Garry Shandling’s Show: The Complete Series was released on DVD on October 20th, 2009.
Photo credit: Shout Factory

Over the years, several major TV writers would come out of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” including people who went on to work on “Seinfeld” and “The Simpsons” and the show featured major guest stars, always playing themselves, including Tom Petty, Rob Reiner, Dan Aykroyd, Martin Mull, Gilda Radner, Carl Reiner, Chevy Chase, and more. Come to think of it, the neurotic sitcom star with celebrity guest stars playing themselves almost sounds like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one of the few shows that you probably could link back to this unique series in terms of influence.

Shout Factory has been putting together great TV sets for years with arguably the best box in the history of the form for “Freaks and Geeks” and a great recent release for “Thirtysomething”. They spare no expense with “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” providing hours of special features, organized as such:

Season 1
Outtakes
“Getting There” - The Road to the Show
“Television Parts” - Sketches - “Garry Dates Miss Maryland,” “Garry’s Car”

Commentaries
1.1: “The Day Garry Moved In” - Garry Shandling & Alan Zweibel
1.5: “The Graduate” - Garry Shandling & Alan Zweibel
1.8: “Grant’s Date” - Garry Shandling & Ed Solomon
1.10: “Fate” - Ed Solomon
1.14: “Dial L For Laundry” - Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Garry Shandling, & Alan Zweibel

Season 2
Outtakes
“Being There” - The Cast Remembers
Original Promos

Commentaries
2.2: “No Baby, No Show” - Shandling & Zweibel
2.4: “The Schumakers Go To Hollywood” - Gammill, Pross, & Solomon
2.10: “Mr. Sparks” - Gammill & Pross
2.17: “Mr. Smith Goes to Nam” - Zweibel

Season 3
Outtakes
“Still There” - The Writers and Crew Remember
“Show & Tell With Tom & Max”
“The Shandlines” - Backstage Newsletters

Commentaries
3.1: “Goin’ Places” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Solomon
3.3: “What’s Happening to Me?” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Zweibel
3.5: “The Natural” - Al Jean, Michael Reiss, & Shandling
3.12: “Garry Acts Like a Moron” - Jean & Reiss
3.17: “Garry Goes Golfing” - Jean, Reiss, & Shandling
3.19: “Worry Wart” - Gammill, Pross, Shandling, & Zweibel

Season 4
Outtakes
“Try to Remember” - A Conversation with Garry and Alan

Commentaries
4.7: “Firehose” - Jean & Reiss
4.15: “Family Man” - Zweibel
4.19: “Driving Miss Garry” - Jean & Reiss

The set also includes a booklet with essays about the show by the great Larry Gelbart and Judd Apatow, who lists the series as a major influence. Each episode looks great in its original full frame presentation and is accompanied by an adequate audio track.

‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show: The Complete Series’ is released by Shout Factory and stars Garry Shandling. The show was released on DVD on October 20th, 2009. It is not rated. It runs roughly 31 hours.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Showtime’s ‘Lock ‘N Load’ Wastes Opportunity

BrianTT — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:21:31 -0600

CHICAGO – The new reality series “Lock ‘N Load,” debuting tonight, October 21st, 2009, on Showtime, is a completely wasted opportunity to add something unique and interesting to the debate over gun control. Completely leaving political or personal viewpoints on controversial weapons issues out of my opinion, the show simply isn’t interesting or entertaining.

Television Rating: 1.0/5.0

“Lock ‘N Load” stars Josh T. Ryan, an actor who has been paying the rent by working at a Denver area gun store called “The Shootist”. He’s billing himself as a “gunslinger,” a man who sells guns to average Americans, but he’s really just an out-of-work actor trying to make TV gold out of his customers, who are being taped on hidden cameras set up around the store. In today’s reality TV world, everyone gets their fifteen minutes of fame, whether they ask for it or not.

Josh T. Ryan in Lock ‘N Load.
Photo credit: Mark LaFleur/SHOWTIME

Closer to something like “Taxicab Confessions” than “Bowling For Columbine,” “Lock ‘N Load” tries so hard to turn average gun-toting citizens of Colorado into interesting television subjects but it’s too unrefined, unfocused, and surface level to be memorable. It has about as much to say about the state of gun control and weapons usage in this country as “Taxicab” does about sex. Not much.

The opening episode features a woman who carries around gigantic knives for safety and happens to be on her third husband (she’s dubbed “The Widowmaker”), a pastor who spends his free time shooting and sees a correlation between religion and guns, and a family who brings in both grandma and a small child and then takes a family photo with gigantic rifles. Good times. The pastor is the most interesting subject, but “Lock ‘N Load” focuses on no one for more than a few minutes and even the most interesting interview in the premiere is too brief.

Josh T. Ryan in Lock ‘N Load.
Photo credit: Mark LaFleur/SHOWTIME

I know that Ryan and the producers of “Lock ‘N Load” are trying to keep politics and opinions about gun control out of the show but just ignoring the elephant in the room doesn’t make it go away. The introduction to the show announces that a gun is made every ten seconds and I’m more curious about why that is than I am in seeing who exactly is supporting the weapons industry.

And, I’m sorry, you can call me all the liberal slang you want, but I’m turned off by a montage of elementary school-age children and even younger kids shopping for guns. And I’m disturbed by the men who talk so happily about how they get a new gun from their wives every birthday and Christmas and make jokes about buying their wives bulletproof vests so they can play. And nothing turns my stomach more than the family with what looks like an 18-month-old taking a family phone photo with assault rifles after their grandma was really nothing more than ding-dong-ditched.

It’s not that I don’t think that Mr. Ryan is having serious conversations with these people or even that they’re necessarily making the wrong decision. Who am I to tell a woman who doesn’t feel safe coming home from her job in a bad part of town that she can’t take legal routes to do so? That’s not my point. But those issues aren’t just left out of “Lock ‘N Load,” they’re completely washed over. Background checks are mentioned once as a joke and Ryan seems much more concerned if his clients would have the guts to pull a gun in a dangerous situation or not than he is over whether or not they should have one in the first place.

I get that Ryan is just a salesman but the setting for “Lock ‘N Load” simply can’t be ignored for a show like this one to be effective. Imagine a show set at Planned Parenthood or with some workers on death row that doesn’t pay any attention to the controversial issues that surround the jobs these people do every day. Of course, Ryan and his customers aren’t talking politics all the time, but the comic slant of the show and the editors removal of serious questions that I’m sure get asked in gun stores - like background checks and gun safety conversations - leaves a product that feels incomplete and hollow.

Ultimately, Josh Ryan seems like a very nice guy and his customers clearly like him and I’m all for supporting small businesses in America, but there are a lot of amiable, small-business owners out there making a living right now. They don’t all need TV shows.

‘Lock ‘N Load,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Josh Ryan. It airs on October 21st, 2009 at 7PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 50 ‘Lock ’N Load’ Chicago Passes For Showtime Reality Series

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:57:44 -0600

CHICAGO – In our latest TV edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: TV, we have 50 admit-one passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago sneak peek of the first two episodes of “Lock ‘N Load,” which is a new hidden-camera reality series on Showtime! “Lock ‘N Load” premieres on Showtime on Oct. 21, 2009 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

To win your free pass to the advance Chicago sneak peak of “Lock ‘N Load” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question below. That’s it! This sneak peek will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“Lock ‘N Load” is a new hidden-camera Showtime reality series.
Image credit: Showtime

Here is the “Lock ‘N Load” synopsis:

“Lock ‘N Load” is a six-part reality series offering viewers a fly-on-the-wall experience at The Shootist gun store in Englewood, Colo. Salesman Josh T. Ryan is always in full-on pitch mode. There’s a fascinating story and buyer for every gun sold by this expert gunslinger at this family-owned store.

The “Lock ‘N Load” trailer can be watched now below.

To secure your free tickets now, make sure you’re logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having an account with a valid e-mail address is required. Then, simply add a new comment in the form below. In your comment, include an answer to this question:

Are gun owners inherently dangerous?

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: TV is simple: Just submit your comment below and we will award 50 people randomly via e-mail for our “Lock ‘N Load” Hookup. Winners needs to arrive early as seats are consumed on a first-come, first-served basis. Good luck!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Showtime’s ‘Dexter’ Opens Fourth Season With Amazing Episode

BrianTT — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:25:52 -0600

CHICAGO – Everyone’s favorite serial killer and family man, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is back in tonight’s excellent fourth season premiere of the award-winning “Dexter”. Last season was good-not-great when compared to the first two installments but the opening arc of the fourth season hints at a creatively reinvigorated program that’s clicking on all levels. “Dexter” looks like one of the best shows of the fall.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

“I kill people - not exactly the perfect husband.” “Dexter” has always been about how a man with a monstrously dark and deadly habit conforms to normal society and deals with domesticity. In the opening episode of season four, Dexter is constantly being pulled in opposite directions by his life as a new father. Blood pools have been replaced by car pools and swimming pools.

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan (Season 4, episode 2)
Photo credit: Randy Tepper/Showtime

And exhaustion. As any new father will tell you, sleep becomes an uncommon commodity and Dexter was a busy man before he became a daddy. It takes effort to be that good a serial killer. And an exhausted serial killer is not a good thing. Dexter has always been the one-man army that stops evil people from falling through the cracks due to poor police work. The premiere plays with the clever idea of making the crack-falling due to Dexter’s error. And it’s far from the worst exhaustion-based mistake that Mr. Morgan makes in episode one.

Julie Benz as Rita Morgan and Michael C. Hall as Dexter (Season 4)
Photo credit: Jim Fiscus/Showtime

Of course, no season of “Dexter” is complete without a guest star and this one has two. The great Keith Carradine returns as Detective Lundy and might rekindle what he had with Deborah Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter). Lundy is tracking The Trinity Killer (guest star #2 John Lithgow), a sick individual who may be the most successful serial killer of all time, having evaded capture or identification for thirty years. Lithgow has limited screen time in the first two episodes but will almost certainly make a riveting guest star this season.

No, the first two episodes of “Dexter” belong to Michael C. Hall, one of the best actors on television who continues to add depth and believability to one of the best characters of the ’00s. Hall is very good, as usual, but he’s reinvigorated by some of the best writing in the history of the show.

What’s so great about the premiere is the return to a hilarious blend of jarring tones that was a bit lost in season three. “Dexter” can be a very funny, very dark show. When Dexter sings “America the Beautiful” to his newborn son to get him to sleep while he looks at crime scene photos of the guy he’s going to kill that night, you’re supposed to laugh. This is jet black comedy that has always been part of the foundation of “Dexter” but seems to return to the forefront more at the start of season four.

It’s not all laughs. The premiere of “Dexter” features two brutal murders and the show continues to push the boundaries of how comfortable you’re supposed to feel watching a mass murderer with a happy family. Are we supposed to root for Dexter to get his sh*t together or does he deserve to have it all fall apart?

The premiere of this season of “Dexter” also features roughly a dozen plot threads starting to spin. Lundy returns, the Trinity Killer debuts, Dexter tries to be a father and a killer, and even Laguerta, Angel, and Quinn have subplots. This is dense, confident writing that stands with the best on television. Deb’s relationship with Anton and her search for her dad’s mysterious C.I. lover return from season three and even those recurring threads feel more confidently written. Everything from the writing to the acting to the pacing to the mystery feels more confident.

Once again, I’m not saying that the third season of “Dexter” was “bad,” it just didn’t live up to the stellar first two and I was naturally concerned that the show probably never would again. After watching the first two episodes of season four, I’m very happy to report that the concern is gone, replaced by that same adoration for the show from the first two years. There’s a chance this could be the best season of “Dexter” to date.

‘Dexter,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, C.S. Lee, James Remar, Desmond Harrington, Keith Carradine, and John Lithgow. The season four premiere airs on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 9PM CST.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 10 ‘All Star Comedy Jam’ DVDs With Cedric the Entertainer

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:35:43 -0600

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: DVD, we have 10 DVDs up for grabs to the hilarious Showtime comedy “All Star Comedy Jam,” which is hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. Directed by Leslie Small, this also features Shaquille O’Neal, Shaunie O’Neal, DeRay Davis, Tommy Davidson, Kevin Hart and Aries Spears. The DVD’s street date is Sept. 8, 2009.

To win your free DVD courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“All Star Comedy Jam” on DVD with Cedric the Entertainer.
Image credit: Vivendi Entertainment

Here is the DVD for “All Star Comedy Jam”:

Cedric the Entertainer delivers his best comedy ever. Renown as one of the original kings of comedy and known for his hilarious roles in “Barbershop,” “Johnson Family Vacation” and “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,” Cedric once again commands the stage in the “All Star Comedy Jam”.

Cedric delivers in this stand-up special and has handpicked some of the industry’s most talented and sought-after comedians including Kevin Hart, Tommy Davidson, Aries Spears and DeRay Davis to follow his act. Non-stop laughter ensues as these comedians tackle everything from politics to religion to current events.

Even NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal finds himself the target of multiple jokes. Filmed in front of a live audience during all-star weekend in Phoenix, this all-star team delivers the laughs in this energetic and unforgettable night of comedy.

The DVD trailer for “All Star Comedy Jam” can be viewed now below.

To secure your free “All Star Comedy Jam” DVD, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup.

Next, simply answer our question for this Hookup. You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Please do not comment in this Hookup. Your entry will be invalid if you only comment here and don’t submit into our Web-based form. Please only submit your answer using this submission form.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail address and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. Please answer our question below.

Who’s the No. 1 best king of comedy?

This HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film is simple: 10 HollywoodChicago.com readers will be randomly selected as the winners of our “All Star Comedy Jam” DVD Hookup! Good luck!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Third Season of ‘Dexter’ With Michael C. Hall, Jimmy Smits

BrianTT — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:20:22 -0600

CHICAGO – The buzz around “Dexter” seems to grow louder with each passing season. With the fourth chapter of this dark, demented, delightful drama about to debut on Showtime, catch up with the third season, now available on Blu-Ray and DVD, starring Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Jimmy Smits, Julie Benz, David Zayas, and Lauren Velez.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

Being a hardcore fan of “Dexter” since the series premiere and someone who has already written extensively about how amazing I think Michael C. Hall is on the program, I can feel comfortable being a little tough on season three only in that I don’t believe this dozen episodes stands next to the first two seasons in terms of quality. The first two seasons of “Dexter” are so good that a let-down was inevitable.

Dexter: Season Three was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 18th, 2009.
Photo credit: Showtime/Paramount

The entire series arc of “Dexter” has been about the title character moving closer and closer to “normal”. Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is still pretty far from normal. He’s a serial killer with a moral code, someone who murders the people who fall through the cracks of the legal system. The first season saw him come to terms with the questions of his past and the second with the addiction that keeps him from his own version of happiness.

The third season of “Dexter” is about friendship and secrets. Dexter meets Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), a District Attorney who is known for cutting a few corners in the courtroom, and the two form an unusual friendship. The best scenes of season three beautifully balance the fiery passion of Smits with the cool, calm demeanor of Hall. They’re a remarkable pair.

Dexter: Season Three was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 18th, 2009.
Photo credit: Showtime/Paramount

While Miguel and Dexter form a crimefighting, dynamic duo, Deborah (Jennifer Carpenter) deals with falling for her C.I., Angel (David Zayas) falls in love with a cop, La Guerta (Lauren Velez) unravels the truth about her old friend, and Rita (Julie Benz) comes to terms with being a mother and a wife again.

“Dexter” is still one of the best shows on television but there’s a tension missing from season three for at least the first half of the twelve episodes. Dexter needs an adversary at all times. Season one delivered The Ice Truck Killer and season two featured Dexter against the world as his crimes came back to haunt him. Season three eventually delivers the action, but there’s a driving tension to the first two seasons missing from this one. Even the supporting character arcs aren’t quite as rich as the first two seasons.

Having said that, if you enjoyed seasons one and two, you have to take a look at season three. Hall has arguably never been better (and was nominated for an Emmy yet again, along with the show’s nomination for Best Drama). He is consistently mesmerizing, making one of the most interesting anti-heroes in TV history fully three-dimensional. As much as I love Gabriel Byrne and Jon Hamm, I’ll smile if Hall walks home with his first Emmy next month. After what he brought to “Six Feet Under” and how he’s topping it with “Dexter,” Hall should have at least one by now.

The Blu-Ray release of the third season of “Dexter” is nearly perfect from a technical standpoint but disappointing when it comes to special features. Showtime/Paramount has taken to using Blu-Ray and DVD special features on their series mostly to advertise for other properties. So, on “Dexter,” you’ll find the first two episodes of “United States of Tara” and the first two episodes of the third season of “The Tudors,” but no commentaries, deleted scenes, or detailed looks at the show itself. Other BD-Live features include book excerpts and interviews with some of the cast, but it feels like a scant collection for such a beloved show.

Luckily, the show itself looks remarkable. This is one of the best video transfers for TV on Blu-Ray to date, presented in crystal clear 1080p High Definition and accompanied by an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track.

Nominated for major Emmys, including Best Drama and Best Actor, for the second straight year, the cult of “Dexter” continues to grow. Jump on the bandwagon before the fourth season starts.

‘Dexter: Season Three’ is released by Showtime/Paramount and stars Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, C.S. Lee, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, James Remar, and Jimmy Smits. It was created by James Manos, Jr.. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on August 18th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Showtime’s ‘Weeds’ Still Has Nice Buzz, But High is Wearing Off

BrianTT — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:59:40 -0600

CHICAGO – Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) returns to clean up the mess left at the end of season four of Showtime’s “Weeds,” one of most acclaimed comedies of last several years.

Television Rating: 3.0/5.0

The year ended with a Nancy pregnant by a vengeful drug lord and facing possible execution, Celia stuck in Mexico with long-lost (and angry) daughter Quinn, and Andy realizing he loves Nancy. It was a mess that needed cleaning up, but season five seems to only be getting messier.

Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin (Season 5: episode 1)
Photo credit: Sonja Flemming/Showtime

“Weeds” creator Jenji Kohan took a gigantic risk last year by blowing up her entire concept - taking the Botwins from the ‘burbs to the border and complicating their character’s lives significantly with increasingly over-the-top plotlines. A show that always had only a slight grasp on realism appeared to lose it entirely as Nancy slept with an infamous drug lord and Andy had to deal with getting illegal immigrants across the border.

Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin (Season 5)
Photo credit: Showtime

The messy and unfocused plotlines have not gone away in season five. As a kidnapped Celia (Elizabeth Perkins) says before the credits have even finished rolling, “What the HELL is going on here?” Nancy is allowed to live, Celia is being held hostage, Andy is acting out against his true love, and Silas and Shane start to get in on the family business. Jennifer Jason Leigh begins a guest arc in episode two.

Before I get critical, “Weeds” is still one of the damn funniest shows on television. Each episode produces laughs. Justin Kirk and Mary-Louise Parker continue to give two of the most entertaining performances on television and the dialogue is still clever, witty, and brilliantly timed.

The acting and the direction can’t be faulted, but I’m more lost than ever with the overall tone and direction of “Weeds”. The show worked best in seasons one and two when it almost miraculously found a way to balance the insanity of Nancy and Celia’s life with something relatable. Most of season four of “Weeds” and the beginning of season five have completely tossed realism out the window. I miss the moments that came from Nancy trying to figure out how to raise her children or Celia dealing realistically with her cancer. Now Nancy is trying to figure out how to escape the clutches of a Mexican drug lord and Celia is being held for ransom? Things have gotten out of control.

If I’m overly critical of “Weeds” it’s only because I’ve seen how great this show can be. The first few seasons were must-see television with some of the best writing and acting out there. All of the elements of a great show are still there but I feel like “Weeds” is in mid-jump over a deadly, pot-addicted shark and I hope it turns around in time to return to its glory before it gets the munchies.

Season five debuts this week, but if you need to catch up with season four, Lionsgate has released a spectacular Blu-Ray edition. The studio continues to excel in the video and audio department, as anyone who has seen the gorgeous “Mad Men: Season One” release will testify. These episodes look as good as they did in HD on Showtime, arguably better, and come accompanied by fantastic DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio tracks.

Special features on the Blu-Ray release of “Weeds” include “Gags,” Cast and Crew Commentaries, “BonusView” Special “Coyote Commentaries” with Kevin Nealon and Justin Kirk, “Little Titles by Jenji Kohan,” “Burbs to the Beach,” “I’m a Big Kid Now,” “The Weed Wranglers,” “Moving Weight,” “Tour of Bubble’s House,” “One Stop Chop Shop,” and “The Real Hunter Parrish”.

‘Weeds,’ which airs on Showtime, stars Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Hunter Parrish, Demian Bichir, and Alexander Gould. The fifth season premiere airs on Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 9PM CST.

‘Weeds: Season Four’ was released by Lionsgate on Blu-Ray. The 2-disc set was released on June 2nd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: Edie Falco Brings Showtime’s ‘Nurse Jackie’ to Vibrant Life

BrianTT — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:33 -0600

CHICAGO – Showtime has done it again. The network has carved out a fascinating niche by focusing on unique characters and hiring talented actors to portray them. Michael C. Hall in “Dexter,” Mary-Louise Parker in “Weeds,” and Toni Collette in “United States of Tara” gave some of the best performances of the last year. Edie Falco in “Nurse Jackie” has the potential to beat them all.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

Falco gave one of the best performances in the history of television on “The Sopranos” and she brings her incredible ability to the fully-realized title character in Showtime’s dark comedy. Jackie Peyton lives a daily existence that most of us couldn’t possibly relate to directly but Falco makes this woman one hundred percent believable. It’s an amazing performance.

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton in Nurse Jackie (Episode 3)
Photo credit: Ken Regan/Showtime

Peyton is a nurse in the ER at New York City’s All Saints Hospital. Based on a journal by a real-life Manhattan ER nurse, “Nurse Jackie” portrays daily life in one of the most unusual places in the world. A day’s work for Jackie (and the cast of patients in the premiere) includes a stoner with third degree burns in a very private place, a man with a missing ear, and a bike messenger with a broken leg. Future episodes include a woman whose oxygen tank explodes when she tries to smoke with it on and an elderly man (Eli Wallach) who refuses any more care for his failing heart.

Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton in Nurse Jackie
Photo credit: Courtesy of Showtime Networks

Life in a NYC ER would be crazy enough but it’s just the beginning of Nurse Jackie’s unusual existence. Recurrent back problems have led to a serious addiction to painkillers. Jackie takes enough prescription drugs on a daily basis to knock most people out but she needs them just to get from patient to patient.

How does Jackie get her drugs? An affair with the hospital pharmacist (former “Sopranos” co-star Paul Schulze) helps with that little problem. Other daily issues include dealing with the cocky new doctor (Peter Facinelli), having lunch with her best friend at the hospital (Eve Best), butting heads with the ER administrator (Anna Deavere Smith), and even monitoring a wide-eyed student (Merritt Wever). Only her fellow nurse Mo-Mo (Haaz Sleiman of “The Visitor”) can possibly understand her daily grind.

One more thing - Jackie’s married. Her husband (Dominic Fusana) is a bartender and one of her two daughters (Ruby Jerins and Daisy Tahan) appears to be cracking under the pressure of life.

Every week, for half an hour, Showtime will present a day in the life of “Nurse Jackie” as she juggles patients, doctors, an addiction to painkillers, and her own family. As her student implies, it takes a saint.

How does a woman with that much on her plate function? “Nurse Jackie” expertly brings the chaos of the lead character to life without making it feel forced. Just as a real nurse can move from patient to patient and case to case, it’s as if Jackie has segmented the problems of her life and just takes them one at a time.

Clearly, it’s a great role and you won’t find a much better actress on television than Edie Falco. She is simply spectacular here. And the supporting cast is nearly as strong. I could easily see any of them, particularly Best and Sleiman, handling their own significant plotlines as the season progresses. Of course, it’s Falco’s show at first, but just as other characters were eventually allowed to share spotlights with Dexter Morgan and Nancy Botwin, I expect the same thing will happen with “Nurse Jackie” and the ensemble is talented enough to pull that off.

As for the writing and directing, I think the premiere episode feels like it’s trying a little too hard to juggle too many things at one time, but the next few episodes settle into a consistent tone that makes it feel like this could be appointment television for years to come. Like “Weeds,” “Nurse Jackie” is a wonderful balance of tones, segueing seamlessly from drama to comedy. As she proved by going from “The Sopranos” to an incredible arc on “30 Rock,” Falco has proven she can do both with ease. And now she’ll get to do so week after week. You won’t soon forget the name “Nurse Jackie”.

“Nurse Jackie” premieres on Showtime on Monday, June 8th, 2009 at 9:30pm CST. It stars Edie Falco, Eve Best, Peter Facinelli, Anna Deavere Smith, Dominic Fumusa, Paul Schulze, Haaz Sleiman, and Merritt Wever. It was created by Evan Dunsky and Liz Brixius & Linda Wallem.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘Dexter: The Second Season’ is Killer in HD

BrianTT — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:01:10 -0600

CHICAGO – When “Dexter: The Second Season” was originally released on standard DVD, I lamented the fact that it wasn’t released on HD Blu-Ray and barely had any special features. I hoped that CBS/Paramount would come around to the Blu-Ray craze by season three and they’ve done just that by catching up with the first two seasons of “Dexter,” now in HD.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

I have bad news for those of you with standard-definition versions of the excellent second season of “Dexter” - this is a pretty mandatory upgrade. If you thought the sophomore slump-defying season of this Showtime series was worth buying, the new video/audio and new special features are worth the trade-up.

This season of “Dexter” was nominated for several major Emmys including Best Dramatic Series, Best Actor, and more. And it arguably deserved more. Jennifer Carpenter and Keith Carradine certainly deserved consideration for supporting nominations in a season that arguably surpassed the first.

Dexter: The Second Season was released on Blu-Ray on May 5th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount/Showtime

If you’re completely unfamiliar, start with the first season and if you worried about how that season could be topped, just trust me and dive into season two. The second season of “Dexter” asks even more daring questions than the first, as Dexter’s serial killer past becomes the focus of the show and the creators paint a riveting portrait of a monster dealing with domesticity.

The DVD for season two of “Dexter” disappointingly included no special features and a purely average technical treatment. It was enough to send Mr. Morgan out himself for some vengeance. Apparently, CBS/Paramount heard the complaints because they correct the era with a very solid Blu-Ray release.

The video and audio on “Dexter” are notable enough with 1080p video and English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD tracks that probably match the way most people watched the show on Showtime. That’s the problem with non-HD TV sets. Most of us are watching the programs in HD the first time. And now we have to watch them in standard on DVD? It doesn’t make sense. The Showtime picture for “Dexter” in its original broadcast is one of the best and now the home release finally matches.

Even more remarkably, CBS/Paramount took the chance to add special features to a season that had none the first time around. There is still no commentary track, which is disappoint, but now there’s a featurette called “Blood Fountains,” podcasts about the show and the “Dark Defender Series”. Fans can also catch up with the first two episodes of “United States of Tara”.

Season three of “Dexter” will probably be released on Blu-Ray this fall and the show will return to Showtime. With the two Blu-Ray releases of the first two seasons (the first dropped in January), 2009 really is the year of “Dexter”. Just submit. Don’t make him come after you.

‘Dexter: The Second Season’ is released by Paramount Home Video and stars Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Jennifer Carpenter, Erik King, Lauren Velez, David Zayas, James Remar, and David Carradine. It was developed by James Manos, Jr. based on the novel by Jeff Lindsay. The Blu-Ray was released on May 5th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview, Part Two: Why Hollywood’s Addicted to ‘Juno’ Scribe Diablo Cody, Star Ellen Page

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:05:39 -0700

Editor’s note: This interview contains explicit language.
This is part two of this interview. Part one is here.
CHICAGO – The sale of Diablo Cody’s “Juno” script has become the opening of her career can of worms.

“Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody.
Photo credit: ViewImages
In Oct. 2007, it was announced that Fox Atomic purchased Cody’s script for the comedic supernatural thriller “Jennifer’s Body”. Mason Novick and Jason Reitman are both on board as producers. Cody added: “I think [Reitman is] done with high school movies.”

While Cody has been painted with “the new Tarantino,” Page has been flattered by being likened to Meryl Streep and Audrey Hepburn.

“That seems outlandish. I don’t feel special,” Page said as if she’s not a flourishing Hollywood star. “I’m just doing what I love to do. That’s a crazy thing to think about. Having an opportunity to do this is an enormous gift. Getting all this attention just weirds me out.”

Cody laughed – and we won’t know why – except to say it was a “private joke” on the topic of Page’s modesty.

Page returned to her diffident direction: “It’s nice when people give you compliments, but it’s not always easy to take compliments. I have really awesome friends who are 10 times cooler than me doing really [amazing] things they don’t get attention for.”

Cody said maternally: “You should learn to take compliments, girlie, because you’re gonna be getting some.” Page pressed on: “I just run around for 30 days talking. Thanks, but what am I?”

Cody interrupted: “I’m sorry about this bloody rag. It’s out of control.” Cody was referencing her ever-bleeding finger in our interview.

“Juno” star Ellen Page as Kitty Pride in “X-Men: The Last Stand”.
Photo credit: EllenPage.net
Back to Page’s retiring persona, she said: “Insults are fine. I don’t care what people think of me. Criticism [usually] feels honest.” Returning to maternal mode, Cody became protective when asked for criticism on Page’s performance of her adolescent, pregnant character.

“I would criticize nothing about her,” Cody retorted. “Ellen’s one of my heroes. She’s one of my favorite actors.”

Speaking of her motherly instincts, we shifted gears and discussed that vital topic in her personal and work life. Cody is a stepmom.

“That’s very important to me,” she said. “I honestly don’t think there’s any character more vilified in folklore or film than the stepmother. The reason I have a problem with it is not just because I am one but because a very, very large percentage of American children have one.”

As for the disapproving perception often associated with a stepmom in society today, Cody said: “I don’t see how that’s sending an uplifting or healthy message to anybody to tell them they have a villain in their family or to tell them they’re abnormal or tainted.

“If I could create a positive portrayal of a relationship between a stepmother and a stepdaughter – particularly at this fraught adolescent time [in the film] – maybe that will impact somebody. I always say evil stepmothers aren’t born. They’re made. There are bitchy stepmoms out there just like there are bitchy moms.”

She continued: “As a stepmother, you feel like ‘if society’s going to treat me like a villain, I’m going to fucking act like one’. And then the cycle continues. So let’s break the cycle!”

Speaking of breaking cycles, the timing of our interview was smack dab in the middle of the current writer’s strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

Diablo Cody on strike on Nov. 7, 2007 in Los Angeles.
Photo source: Diablo Cody’s “The Pussy Ranch” blog
Cody is a card-carrying member of the WGA. She supports its national exclamation aimed at awarding the same residuals to writers for online sales as others already receiving such benefits. Cody’s support of the strike, though, isn’t at all for benefits she wants personally.

“I’m very pampered as a writer. I get recognition. I’m well paid,” Cody said. “The strike benefits all of us. I’m not really supposed to be talking about it, but the new-media issue and residuals issue affect everybody. I do feel like a lot of writers get the short end of the stick in general, but not me.

“I wish every writer can have the treatment I’ve had so far in my career. I have no complaints [personally], but I have complaints on behalf of my peers.”

Beyond “Jennifer’s Body,” Cody is also in bed with Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense”), Steven Spielberg and Showtime. She says Spielberg conceived the concept of a mom with multiple personalities and Cody pitched a story to him based on that plotline. Showtime bit and Cody says she’s looking forward to meeting with Collette.

“Slutty,” Page offered. Confused, this critic said: “Collette’s slutty?” Page purified: “No!” Cody’s media training stepped in: “That’s why you can’t just randomly say that in interviews. That’s just her all-purpose adjective. It just means ‘cool’.”

Cody has also penned a female “Superbad” screenplay she coins “Girlie Style”. As it’s a college sex comedy with female protagonists, by now the pattern has clearly emerged about her topical fixations on sex and women.

“Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody.
Photo credit: Scott Walker
“I’m a feminist,” Cody declared. “I wish I didn’t have to be. Initially I was insulted when people would ask me about writing great roles for women. I just wanted to write great roles. I felt like I was [bowing] to the patriarchy if I just wrote ‘women’s pictures’. But now being slightly more seasoned – lightly salted…”

In reaction to being “lightly salted,” Page popped back in with a titter: “Nice. A touch of thyme! A pinch of dill!”

Cody again sported her grave hat: “I do feel like I have a responsibility to write strong roles for women because I’m seeing so many amazing actresses – or as I like to call them ‘actors’ – who are being squandered. I don’t like the term ‘actress’.”

Page concurred: “When people ask me what I’m doing and I say I’m an ‘actor,’ the old bald white man will say: ‘Oh ho ho ho. Don’t you mean actress?’”

Cody pursued: “The term ‘actress’ sounds like it’s from the silent film era. Like: ‘Actress Clara Beau!’ It’s cheesy. I say actor. In interviews like this, I find myself having to default to ‘actress’ because when I say ‘there are no good roles for actors,’ it gets misconstrued that I’m talking about men.”

Beyond talking about men, what about writing about them? Though time will be the ultimate judge, Cody asserted: “I’ll write about boys. I’m certainly not averse to it. I myself am kind of a dude, so the fact that I’m able to tap into any woman’s psyche is shocking.”

Ellen Page.
Photo credit: George Pimentel, WireImage
To conclude our interview, we returned to where it all began for Cody – blogging – and the burdens and blessings inherent in it.

“You can’t just drop your blog because something [bad happens with it],” Cody stated. “Do you have any idea what kind of shit I’ve been through in cyberspace?”

She added: “How do I deal with that? I make a lot of money and laugh. Sorry. That’s a douche bag answer. I’ve been through a lot with it, but I don’t care because it’s four people in Minnesota who are bitter and ugly. They can eat a dick. They can collectively eat a dick.”

Page related: “It’s the same with what I do. I don’t even write anything personal about myself. I just act. Hardly many people even know who I am yet, but a few do. I just get automatically judged. People are just judgmental in general.”

“The Internet gives everybody a voice. I think that’s gross. Only the most articulate members of society should be allowed to voice their opinion,” Cody said sarcastically. But she concluded seriously: “There are a lot of illiterate trolls on the Internet who can just eat a dick.”

Part one of this interview can be found here.
By Adam Fendelman
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com